I, Rocket
by Malchus-Fireheart
Summary: A collation of shorts about Rocket Raccoon and told though his eyes. From a bad day with a hangover to the time he saved the life of a little girl, Rocket tells us all. Rated M for bad words and strong violence.
1. Hangover

Hungover

I let out a small groan as I woke up. The first thing I am aware of is the instance pain in my head. The second was that face that I am laying in some deserted sidealley. With a great dale of effort I force myself up into a sitting position, leaning my head against the wall and letting out another groan. At first I try hard to remember what had happened to me but I guess the answer was obvious. _You have a hangover stupid,_ I think to myself. _You when to some cheep bar and got plastered. Now you are completely hungover. _I wasn't really worried about the hangover, I mean it's not like it was the first time it had happened. I am just about to try standing up when the smell hit me, the smell of vomit. I look down at myself and see the foul smelling stuff all over my clothes. By the look of it I must have vomited all over myself sometime last night. To make things worse there's a huge hole running down the left side of my suite. Most of my left side from just below my chest to just above my leg was exposed and the edge of the hole is encrusted in a sharp smelling green chemical. The chemical was used on most worlds to destroy old unwanted clothing and had burnt through mine. This wasn't surprising as I realize I had been sleeping next to a leaking tank of the stuff.

"Dame it," I yell, pulling my suite off and hurling it far away from me. Something told me this is going to be a bad day.

Slowly I stand up and try to take a few steps forward. As bad luck would have it I slip and fall face down into my pool of vomit.

"Sod this," I yell and got to my feet again, covered in sick and feeling very, very annoyed.

"I am Groot?" a voice asked behind me.

Due to my hangover the voice was much louder than normal and nearly makes me jump out of my fur.

I spin round and glare up at Groot, my tree like alien companion. He hadn't been there a moment ago. My guess is that he must have buggered off some time last night. I suppose he didn't want to be around me when I was drunk.

"Don't you ever sneak up on a guy like that," I snap at him. "What are you trying to do give me a heart-attack?"

"I am Groot," he apologized then simply stood there staring at me.

I hate it when people stare at me. Always have. The fact that I wasn't wearing my suite makes it all the worse, thank heavens I still have my underwear I would be getting really self-conscious.

"I am Groot," he said at last.

"Yeah I know I look a mess," I reply and look down at myself. "I got plastered remember."

"I am Groot."

I snort loudly. "I should get cleaned up! Well thank you for your incredible insight. I don't know how I didn't figure that one out on my own."

I know it's a bit mean of me to use sarcasm at him but he did kind of deserve it after saying something so stupidly obvious. If Groot is hurt by my words he doesn't show it. Instead he merely says, "I am Groot," and starts to walk away.

"Where do you think you're going?" I ask.

"I am Groot" he tells me, promising he will be back soon.

"I'll...err just wait here then. I ain't going out and about smelling like this."

It's was exactly half an hour before Groot returns, carrying a huge crate of sparkling water.

"I am Groot", he said happily and dropped the crate in front of me. The sound of the crate hitting the concrete ground is so loud that I press my paws over my ears and let out a small whimper.

Groot gives me an apologetic look and mutters, "I am Groot."

"It's fine," I snarl then add, "What you bring that water for anyhow? I don't need a drink of water so what's with it?"

"I am Groot," Groot replied, explaining that it wasn't for drinking but for washing.

"Oh thanks buddy," I say with a grin and begin to wash myself down, Groot's good enough to turn away to allow me some privacy.

"Okay I'm done," I tell my friend after I've had a good wash and shake off.

Groot turns round and smiles. Clearly he's as happy about the now clean smelling fur as I am.

"You got any cloths with you by any chance?" I ask hopefully.

"I am Groot," he answers then adds, "I am Groot."

"Really?" I ask with a smile. "You know where to get some? Well what are we waiting for?"

"I am Groot."

"Wait," I huff in irritation. "Why the hell should we wait?"

I am Groot," Groot replies, explaining that we should stay here until it gets dark as most people will have gone home."

"What you don't think we could take them?" I ask with a cocky grin.

Groot looks me up and down, taking note of my lack of weapons and clothing then points this out to me.

"Shut it," I snap and sit down with a scowl on my face and my arms crossed.

Groot sighs and sits down a little to my left.

My eyes snap open as Groot shakes me awake and then points up at the now darkening sky.

"I nodded off?" I ask while I rub my eyes.

Groot nods then adds with a smile, "I am Groot."

"I was not drooling," I say defensively wiping a paw across my mouth to find that my tree-like companion is right.

"I am Groot," he replied, getting to his feet.

"Okay, okay I'm coming," I tell him and follow him out of the sidealley and into the empty street.

We keep walking for about ten minutes until we reach our destination, a small yellow painted shop which I think might also be the home of whoever owns the place.

"You sure this place is empty?" I ask.

Groot merely nods, sneaks round to the back and rips the back door open.

"Shush," I tell him before going inside.

The building is smallish. The shop itself is only one room really but it still has more than enough cloths to choose from. A stairway leads to the other floor but I don't really pay it much interest, instead going over to a cloths rack. Most of the cloths are way too big for me but after a while I do manage to find some my size, a basic outfit with a few pockets and dark green in colour. Dark green isn't really me but I'm not about to be picky. I pull the outfit on, turn round and find myself face to face with a gun. Well okay to be more accurate a tall blue-skinned alien holding a gun in one hand and a lady-friend with the other. The female looks terrified; he looks anger, very angry.

"What the hell is this?" the male demands.

"I thought you said this place was empty," I whisper to Groot.

Groot doesn't respond and just looks guilty.

"I'm not going to ask again," the blue dork snaps.

"Look there's a perfectly good reason for us being here," I tell him then add, "and for me nicking this get-up."

"And what might that be?"

"Well err...I...I guess..."

I don't get any further then this because Groot decides now is a good time to slam a fist into the blue guy's abdomen, which he does. The blue idiot goes flying backwards and crashes into a stack of boxes. His wife or friend or whatever the hell she is screamed and picked up something to throw at me.

"Don't even think about it lady," I snap loud enough to ensure she backs off.

Her companion however is now up and firing three blaster shots into Groot's chest. My plant buddy barely notices this and throws a box at our enemy, sadly missing. I hiss as an alarm, activated by the blue worm of a woman, sounds to call the police.

"Time to go," I tell Groot then leap onto his arm as he smashes his way thought the shop's front door and takes off through the city.

After a while we stopped in another sidealley and I drop off Groot's arm, breathing heavily.

"You great big idiot," I pant, "I thought you said that shop was empty."

"I am Groot," Groot muttered, telling me he was sorry."

I let out a sigh, "Forget about it. At least were safe for now."

"I am Groot."

"You're right we should get some shut eye but first I want a drink. All this fighting and running has made me thirsty. I don't spouse you see a bar anywhere?"

Groot's response is to pick me up by my leg and continue walking through the city.

"Oi put me down," I shout from my upside down position.

"I am Groot."

"Drunk? Who said anything about getting drunk? All I want is one tiny drink...really just one."

"I am Groot," Groot replies firmly.

"Look pal you can't tell me what to do. If I want some booze I mean to have it so put me down."

"I am Groot," the giant idiot booms causing me to shut it.

Groot smiles with satisfaction and continues on his way.

I cross my arms and mutter really bad words as well as make a mantel note to myself._ Rocket don't ever bother with drink again it's not worth the trouble. _As soon as I've done this I make another mantel note. _Rocket if ever you made a mantel note to stop drinking just ignore it. _

**So here is the first chapter in my collation of rocket shorts. Please R&amp;R. **

**P.S For** **all who are wondering what's the whole deal with the cloths think? I just think Rocket would act like this. I don't think he would like being naked. He must have a sense of modesty or why would he ware anything? **


	2. A little work-out

A little workout

I stare out of the window of the small ship I'm stuck in with one thought going through my mind. _I'm going to jail again. I've lived for little over two years and I'm on my way to prison for the third time and it's for a completely unmerited reason. Okay so I did nick a bit of money from some rich, stuck-up piece of garbage but I had to, I was starving. Of course I got arrested but I don't see what business it was of the authorities. I told them I only took the money because I needed food and that I would pay it back but they didn't care one bit. Why the hell can't those idiots arrest people who are real menaces to society instead of some poor youth who's so hungry it's painful?_

I'm jolted out of my thoughts as the ship docks with a large, two levelled, hexagon shaped prison station orbiting some planet or other that I don't care to know the name of. A metal door at the front of the ship opens and a somewhat ugly guardsman comes to escort myself and the few other prisoners on the ship to the station's main entrance where we'll be asked a few pointless questions and be given a cell number.

It doesn't take long to reach our destination and I'm lucky enough to be first in the small line of prisoners which means I don't have to listen to everyone else blabber.

"Name?" the bold-headed prison attendant asks as he looks down at me with disdain.

"Rocket," I answer plainly.

"What sort of a name is that?" the attendant sneers.

"Yeah I know, strange name," I reply, "but at least it's not something trashy like... Kotar for instance."

The attendant's eyes flicker over to his identity badge before returning angrily to me.

Age?" he growls.

"About two and a bit years, can't say the exact date."

"What about species?"

This next question has me stumped for a bit on how to answer but I decide to just be honest.

"I don't have a species. I'm the only one in the galaxy who's like me."

"Awww that's too bad kid, what a shame," Kotar says mockingly. "Your cell number is X29X8, now go into the next room and get your prison clothes because you'll be staying here for a while. Oh and one more thing Mr. One of a kind, don't get lonely."

I reply with a vulgar insult to his face before following a guard into the next room where I am stripped, sprayed down with water, given a disgustingly plain grey top and pants and finally taken to my cell.

The cell is simple, a plain bed without sheets, a dodgy looking shelf and a bucket so I can relieve myself.

I flop down on the bed grinning and say out loud to myself, "Well this will sure beat sleeping in a gutter."

I'm woken to the sound of my cell door unlocking. I raise head to see a guard standing in the doorway gun in hand.

"Get up," the man orders. "It's meal time. You get fifteen minutes to eat, no more, no less. Move it."

I mutter something under my breath, pull my shirt on and head out of my cell.

I have no idea which way to go but I soon figure out that to take a left then a right, another two lefts then a right again. I figure this out because if I go the wrong way I'm shoved in the back by the guard.

As I enter the mess-hall I take a look around. The room is small, ugly, has only two tables side-by-side and has a counter were you go to get your food. I walk over to the counter, grab a tray and hold it out to the woman who severs me a tray-full of green slop. It looks less then appetizing but once you've eaten half rotten food from a trashcan prison food isn't that bad.

I take my food over to one of the tables and throw it above my head and onto the table before scrabbling up a chair. To my irritation and humiliation I have to eat standing on my chair otherwise I can't reach the table or tray. I don't have a spoon or anything so I just scoop it up with my paw. After the third bite I become aware that a scaly alien is watching me and grinning to himself. I try to ignore him and continue my meal but after another two mouthfuls of slop I push my tray away from me and glare over at him.

"What you looking at?" I demand angrily.

"Nothing," he replies and turns away, sniggering to himself.

"Oh really," I growl, "because staring at me while I'm eating is not looking at nothing so why the hell were you looking at me?"

"Figure it out stupid," the other growls, not even bothering to look at me.

"Let me guess," I snap. "You were looking at a freak. At this little weirdo who's at the table. Well you aren't much of a looker yourself and..."

"You got it all wrong kid," the scaly laughs. "I wasn't looking at you so much as your muscles or haha, lack of them."

"What the hell does that mean?" I snap, furious at what this trash is implying.

"I mean you're scrawny and underdeveloped. Weak guys like you don't last long in places like this. Do yourself a favour and build yourself up a bit. After this the filth howls with laughter. Everyone else near us decides now is a good time to leave the table.

"Shut your face you stinking slime-ball," I roar at him them launch myself across the table.

"So you think I'm weak." I snarl as I stand inches away from him. "You think I won't make it in here? That I can't take care of myself? Well you listen and listen good because..."

I don't get any further as a guard who must have heard me shouting comes over and slams his fist down between us.

"What the devil is going on?" he demands, wanting an answer from both of us.

"What's going on is that this...thing is mouthing off at me like a maniac." Lizard-face replies.

"That's because he insulted me," I growl, struggling to stay calm. "He called me scrawny and said I can't take care of myself. He's wrong I..."

"Look buster," the guard says, cutting me off, "I don't care what he called you so zip it."

Turning on the scaly he snaps, "I don't need any trouble from you Javal so stop picking on the newbie. I will not stand for any fighting on my watch."

"As for you," he adds, turning on me, "You are scrawny. Get over it.!"

I'm about to bite back at him when I hear the beeping sound indicating that meal time is over.

"Right," the guard yells at the top of his lungs, "everyone back to their cells, now!"

As I'm escorted back to my cell I turn and lock eyes with Javal, letting him know that he's made an enemy today.

Back in my cell I strip off my top and look down at myself. I expect to see a well built body but instead I'm greeted with a scrawny little chest and an equally unimpressive belly. The lizard guy had been right, I do look weak. I yell angrily and kick my shirt across the length of the cell. I'm so angry I can hardly think. I feel so stupid right now. Mouthing off to that lizard about how wrong he was to think I wasn't strong and now I see he was right. That's when I make a vow to myself. Somehow I'm going to get strong and well built. Somehow I'm going to get myself a real good-looking gut.

...

"Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred." I get to my feet after I reach the hundredth press-up. I'm hot and sweaty but feel god for having finished my morning exercise ten minutes before I usually start them. I need a shower but I'm also feeling really hungry so I decide to hold the shower off until after I've had breakfast.

As I enter the Milano's kitchen I see Peter eating some toast while Drax and Gamora sip at mugs of tea or coffee or something.

"Morning," I grunt at them.

Gamora looks up then wrinkles her nose and says, "What is that smell?"

"That Gamora," I tell her is the smell of a sweaty little body that's just done a serious work-out."

To emphasize this I lift an arm and take a big sniff. Gamora doesn't say anything and just stands there looking like she's going to be sick.

"Rocket what's with you and all this working-out anyway?" Peter asks. "I mean it's not like you have to get into shape for a fight. All you ever use in a fight is your fists so why bother?"

"Peter does this look scrawny to you?" I ask and lift my top up to just above my chest.

"Err...no, not at all. I mean it look good for what it is." Peter answers a little surprised by my actions.

"Someone once told me it was underdeveloped and that I needed to build myself up a bit," I tell him, letting my top fall back into place. "I first I was just mad at him," I go on. "After a while I thought I'd prove him wrong. Good idea don't you think?"

"Yeah," Pater replies and goes back to his toast.

**Here it is the next chapter. Please R&amp;R. **

**P.S For any of you who are wondering about what I did with Rocket's age there will be a another's note about it. **


	3. Sharing secrets

Sharing secrets

I'm woken up from my sleep by a light going on outside my room. This makes me mad for three reasons. I don't like being woken up in the middle of the night, also I was in the middle of the first good dream I had, had in nearly a mouth. Last but not least, it could have woken baby Groot. **Nobody** wakes up my baby Groot. Growling I get up, open my door and stick my head out of my room to find the light in the corridor outside is on. Irritability I click it off and head back to bed only for the light to go back on less than a minute later. Furiously I storm out of my room and turn it off for a second time. I settle down in bed again and just close my eyes when, blam , the light's on again.

"That's it," I snarl, going to my door and tearing it open.

"Right you bunch of idiots," I yell at the top of my lungs, "I've had enough of this. I'm trying to get some shut-eye after a long day so if I find this light on again I'll tare the dame thing out of the wall, got it!"

With that I slam the door and return to bed. The light stays off.

Life continues as normal the next day. I don't bring up the light incident and neither does anyone else. I begin to think that the whole thing was just some random craziness until the same things happens tonight. I start to drift off and then that bl****** light goes on again. I jump out of bed and go and turn the light off. I'm about to climb back into bed when I decide to wait. I want to catch whoever keeps turning the s*** light on. I want to catch them and give them a piece of my mind. I don't have long to wait. I hear someone come into the corridor before I rip my door open and grab hold of the dork's knee. A voice yells out in alarm and the light goes on to reveal Peter.

"Quill!" I yell, "What in the name of hell are you doing?"

Peter can tell I'm angry with him as that's the only time I call him by his last name.

"Dame it Rocket you nearly gave me a heart-attack." He snaps back.

"I'll give you a lot more then that if you keep switching that light on," I warn him.

"Well what the hell is that to you?" Quill demands.

"I'm trying to get some sleep. Did you ever think it might be inconvenient for me if that light's on all night?"

"You ever thought I might not want to be bumping into things all night?"

"There's nothing to bump into out here," I say throwing my arms up. "And if that's the case then why do you keep coming back to turn it on again?"

"I err..." Quill faltered.

"Knew it," I snarl then add, "So give me the real reason."

"No."

"Now," I snap.

"Forget it," He snaps back and turns his back on me, storming off to his room and slamming the door.

I turn the light off and go back to bad as well but as I do so I make up my mind that one way or another I'm going to get the truth from Quill.

I get this chance the very next night. After lying in bed for an hour or so unable to sleep I mutter to myself, "Rocket it's time to go play hell with Dork-Lord."

Peter's door is slightly and I there's a dim light on inside. I enter the room and see that the light is coming from a small lamp by Peter's bed. I also see that Peter is fast asleep and has his walkman around his neck.

I hop onto the bed and lean in close to Peter until my face is inches from his before I blow hot breath onto his nose. Peter slowly opens his eyes and yells.

"Rocket what the hell are you doing?"

"I asked you a question the other night. I'm still waiting for an answer so spill it."

"Get out of my room," Peter says and pushes me back a little.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what was up with you and that *****ing light. I mean the way you act someone would think you were afraid of the dame dark."

Peter doesn't reply and just looks away.

"Oh," I say. "You mean you really are afraid of the dark."

"Yes," Peter snaps, "I'm afraid of the dark. Go on, go ahead and laugh."

"Laugh, why should I laugh?"

"Because it's hilarious isn't it, a grown man like me being afraid of the dark? You'd have thought I'd have got over it by now. That I could just ignore the feelings and the thoughts about my mother and how much I miss her. It's always in the darkness that I see her."

In an intend everything clicks and I feel a slight pang of guilt as I recall how much I've yelled at Peter over the last few days. Then I recall all the horrible thoughts I've had about him and I think I feel a tiny bit of shame.

"And you've been keeping this secret from everyone because you're afraid that if you tell them they'll laugh in your face?" I ask softly.

Peter nods and looks down miserably.

"I'm sorry," I tell him, really meaning it.

"For what?"

"For yelling at you and for being too thick to put two and two together. I know what it's like to be scared of being laughed at and I know what it's like to keep secrets from the rest of the universe."

"Like what?" Peter asks, clearly interested.

"That's none of your business," I reply.

"Oh come on Rocket I've just told you a deep secret it's only fair you tell me one. I promise I won't laugh or tell the others."

I shift a little and say. "I got your word on that?"

"Absolutely."

It's my turn to let out a sigh now. I guess Peter is right it is only fair I tell him something and it would be a good way to make it up to him for being such a jerk.

"Well...I have kept this one thing secret from the rest of the galaxy," I begin. "See there's something I've had ever since I was little and I've never let it go...but I've never talked about it."

"Something you've held on to all your life?"

"Something I have and something I am" I say, hating every moment of this.

Peter leans in close and whispers, "What do you have? What are you?"

"A...a virgin." I mutter not out of shame of my secret but because I stink at this whole talking deep with others thing.

At first Peter doesn't react but at last he just stares at me in surprise and say, "What?"

"You heard me," I say quietly. I knew this was how things would turn out. I knew if ever I told someone about this they would think I was a little weirdo.

"Well I never thought..." Peter begins then says, "Why?"

"Why what?" I ask a bit confused.

"Why did you choose to stay a virgin? Not that you shouldn't but most people...well... "

I groan. "Do I really have to answer?"

"Yes."

"Well it's like this Star-Lord. First of all I don't I really understand the appeal of sex."

"And," Peter asks, knowing there's more.

I take a deep breath before I spill my heart and soul out to the guy I've only just begun to know.

"All my life people have taken things away from me," I begin. "My future, my pride, part of my sanity, hell even my own body isn't really mine. I've been stripped of nearly everything that I could once have called my own. But there's just this one thing that nobody has been able to take from me. My virginity is about the only thing I've always had and the only thing I can think of right now that I can keep for as long as **I** want. It's all my own and I'm going to keep it a while longer."

At the end of my rambling Peter just nods and says, "Good reasons."

"Thanks," I reply with a grin then let out a huge yawn before adding, "I'd best get back to bed. I'm glad we had this chance to share a secret or two it means that maybe one day I might be able to just about put up with you."

Peter chuckles, "Maybe someday I'll be able to put up with you too."


	4. Wounded

Wounded

Darkness...I am floating in darkness. I am aware of nothing but a thick blanket of night, a blanket of night and a sensation of instance pain. Why, why was I in such pain? The next feeling is one of sinking, down, down, down, as if I were in a deep lake or immense ocean. It's so strange, the darkness, the pain, the feeling of sinking. Part of me knows I have to fight my way out of all of this but another part of me doesn't really want to. Suddenly I hear a voice calling to me.

"Rocket, Rocket, please, please be okay."

I know the voice, its Peter's.

I have to reach that voice. I have to fight. I had to escape. Slowly, very slowly I force myself to...wake up.

I see dim shapes as my eyes flicker open. I'm in a poorly lit room, it's plain and I think made of metal. Peter and Gamora are looking towards me, expressions of shock on their faces. Drax stands behind them and a little to the left and looks ready to kill. Groot is at the back of the room, in the shadow, his face impossible to read.

"He's alive," Peter whispered to Gamora.

I force myself to take a step towards them, only to discover all four of my paws are tied to the wall with think ropes. The strain I put on my limbs in trying to move sends a wave of agony through my body, causing me to let out a cry.

Peter's over to me in a flash.

"Easy pal, easy," he says and cuts me loss from the rope. I fall into his arms.

If I had been in any other state I would have pulled myself free of his as I hate being touched. Pulling away however was not an option as I know I am too weak to stand by myself, let alone walk.

"It's going to be okay buddy," Peter whispers and I'm sure he's holding back a sob.

I say nothing, mealy allowing him to carry me as I close my eyes to sleep and try hard to remember what happened to me.

...

I let out a whoop of joy as one of my grenades takes out another enemy.

"Fear the fur," I yell as I throw a second grenade, making the enemy scatter.

"Star-Lord to Rocket, come in please," Peter says as he suddenly appears besides me causing me to jump.

"What the hell do you want?" I demand.

"Oh just saying that you're on a mission you know. Some of us are here to get a job done and not just for the fun of it."

"Meaning what?" I say indignantly.

"You know what," Star-Lord replies and moves away while I mutter dark words.

I know that he's right though, I have to stay focused on the mission.

Four hours ago Nova had received word that a small group of terrorists had deployed bombs throughout the capital city of the planet Illeos and the bombs were set to go off at 13:00 hours today. All we guardians knew was that the informer's name was Mavton and he was from inside the group and that Nova were all a bunch of wimpy girls and had come running to us for help. There were sixteen bomb scattered throughout the city. We had found and disarmed thirteen; Peter and I were converging of the fourteenth.

I leap over the bodies of two terrorists I shot a moment ago and race towards the bomb. Three males guard the bomb but I take two of them down easy, leaving Peter to deal with the last. I reach the bomb and pull off the front of it exposing its inner-workings.

"Can you disarm it?" Peter asks.

"What you mean like the other three I disarmed today?" I reply in a tone that clearly shows what I think oh Peter's question.

"Jerk," Peter whispers then shuts up so I can work.

The bomb is deactivated in seconds, the design ridiculously easy for me to work out.

"Done," I tell Peter who then contacts the others to see how they are getting on. After a moment he says, "Drax and Gamora got the last of the bombs. Everyone is waiting for us in the city centre, come on."

I follow Peter though the city until we reach its centre. A squad of Nova soldiers are gathered in the centre along with Drax and Gamora. Groot is there as well. Groot in still growing up but has regained enough of his strength to maintain his full size for short periods of time, this being one of them.

"So," I ask looking at Drax and Gamora, "how many bomb did you get?"

"Three," Gamora replied for both of them, "and you."

"Four," I say with a grin, then add, "and between them the Nova guys must have taken out the other nine."

"Other ten," Drax corrected me.

"That's seventeen stupid, I told you it was sixteen," I retort.

"You said seventeen this morning," Drax huffs.

"No I didn't."

"Err yes you kind of did." Peter adds in.

"No I'm sure I..." I stop when we all hear the sound of beeping coming from nearby.

"O sh..." I'm cut off as the wall of a building on my right explodes, throwing myself and several others to the ground. I smack my head on concrete and black out.

...

With a groan I open my eyes. I'm in a large metal-walled room with a glaring light in the middle of the ceiling. I'm tied, arms above my head, with a rope that hooks into the ceiling. My foot-paws are tied as well. I reason out that I must have been captured by the enemy and brought here to what I assume is their hide-out. I also realize that I've been stripped naked. This is not only humiliating but also upsetting as I can think of only one good reason for my kidnappers to take my clothes off. I'm going to be tortured before the day is out. I hear footsteps and then a loud click from behind. Four centaurians enter the room, all male. They wear light combat amour and one is missing an eye. This one comes to stand in front of me.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he scoffs, "if it isn't one of the almighty guardians of the galaxy. Not so mighty now are you?"

"Let me go you slime," I yell at him.

The guy laughs and says, "My name is Tatash and you...well you must be Rocket."

I say nothing.

"You know you've been quite the little nuisance to me and my men but now you're going to give us a little bit of help."

"Help?" I ask.

"Answer me this guardian, who told you about the bombs in the city?"

"Maybe we were just in the area at the time." I reply.

The terrorist leader laughs again then yanks my head back, forcing me to look straight up at him, something I hate him for.

"Don't lie to me rodent," he snaps. "Nobody knew about the bomb plan save for me and my men. That means someone betrayed me and you know who it was. You tell me right now, nice and easy."

I know the name of the so called traitor alright but I'm not about to tell this scum so I keep my mouth shut.

"It looks like we're going to do this the hard way," Tatash sighs then motions to one of his men.

The man steps forward, unsheathes a long and cruel looking knife and slashes it across my lower back. I let out a gasp as my back explodes with pain._ So now it begins,_ I think to myself.

"Perhaps now you will answer my question?" Tatash says in a level tone.

"Like hell," I snarl.

The second knife slash is across my right shoulder. This time I let out a cry as the blade bites my flesh.

"Answer me," Tatash says dangerously.

I hold my tongue and simply glower at him. The knife is raised again but Tatash stops the scum under his command from using it.

"Leave his back Ovin," he orders. "It's time to get to work on his belly."

Ovin nods and comes to my front.

"I've been patient with you so far guardian," Tatash growls, "but my patience is running thin. Tell me the name of the traitor or I'll make you scream."

"Burn in hell," I roar.

Tatash nods to Ovin and the knife comes down again, cutting though the soft flesh of my belly as easy as a hot knife though better. Tatash is right I do scream. I scream and curse and writhe but all to no avail. Now the knife is upon me again. Not a quick slash but a long, slow and agonising journey from just below my chest to just above my groin. I'm sobbing now, the tears rolling down my cheeks. I hate crying, hate the fact that it makes me look weak but I can't stop because the pain is almost too much to bear. One thing and one thing only stops me from screaming out for mercy and that's the dark and morbid truth that I've been though worse. Only once in my life have I suffered worse than this and that was in that dame lab where I was created. I remember it all. The syringes, the scalpels and the feeling on skin being peeled back so a scientist's instrument could get at the raw muscle beneath. After a year of that even the greatest of agonies is endurable. A hand slaps my face and brings me out of my memories.

"Talk you stupid freak," Tatash roars at me.

"Never," I snarl.

Ovin slices his blade down my belly one last time then lifts my right paw and begins his work on the soul of my foot.

Mercy comes to me now as I feel the dark blanket of unconsciousness rap itself around me. I don't resist.

...

My eyes snap open and my vision is flooded with light. At first I'm confused, thinking I'm still a prisoner of the terrorists but slowly I come to realize that I'm in the Milano's sickbay. I'm laying down in one of the sickbay's beds and my entire body is screaming in protest to the way I've been treated. I can also feel that beneath the blue cover on my bed that I'm still naked. I try to sit up but nearly blackout with the pain. That's when I notice Peter sitting next to my bed, looking worried.

"Easy Rocket," he says and pushes me down again. "Don't try to get up pal or you might do yourself an injury...you know another one."

"What happened after the bomb when off?" I ask.

"The terrorists came in and grabbed you. We had no idea where you were. We still won't if not for Mavton. He contacted us and told us where you were and that we needed to get you out, fast. I say we did that pretty well."

"What about the terrorists?" I ask, "Did you get them?"

"Groot happened to them," Peter said with a smile.

"Groot?" I ask.

Peter shakes his head and says, "I've never seen anything like it. When he was what they did to you he just when insane. He killed them all, every one."

"Good old Groot," I laugh then start coughing.

"Easy Rocket, easy," Peter says then goes over to a small sink and brings back a wet cloth.

"I need to clean you up Rocket," he tells me, "So just lie still."

Having said this he pulls back the covering of my bed.

Both of us look down in horror at the hunk of bleeding flesh that used to me my stomach.

"I'll try to make this quick," Peter promises then begins to wash. I grind my teeth together and thy too stay tough despite the pain. I can't cry in front of Peter, I can't.

"Rocket stop," Peter says genteelly.

I look at him confused.

"There's no one here but you and me," the other guy tells me. "Nobody can hear you cry so just let it out and stop trying to me MR. Hardcore."

I nod knowing he's right. There's a time and a place for being hardcore and this isn't one of them. So I allow myself to cry as Peter washes blood from my back, my stomach, my paw. I know I should have put up more of a fight to stay strong but sometimes even I fail at this. After what seems like an eternity Star-Lord drops the bloody cloth to the floor.

"Bandages next," I hiss though my clanked teeth.

"Bandages later this next," Peter replies then picks me up and raps his arms round me in a hug, oblivious it seems to the blood that slowly soaks his clothes.

Normally I would try to take his face off if he touched me but today I feel in need of a little TLC.

"Thanks Peter," I whisper as I rap my tiny arms round his neck and return his hug.

"Anytime," he says and adds, "The others and I will always be here for you okay."

"I know," I reply and give him a nuzzle.


	5. A friendship made

A friendship made

I frown as a drop of rain hits my nose with a plop. I'm standing in one of the many streets of Campidor, a city on the planet Vilos. Vilos is a green world and most of the time very sunny. Today however it was cold and wet. I shiver as another drop of rain splashes onto my head and drips down the inside of my bright green top, hopefully not touching the nearly empty supply bag I have over my back. I've never understood why rain has to be so sodding cold. I mean why can't it be warm and...

"I am Groot?" a voice asks behind me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I turn and look up at the towering tree-like creature who I've come to know. His name is Groot and he's one of the strangest beings I've come into contact with. He's been with me for what four, five day? I know it's unquestionably no more than a week.

"I am Groot?" Groot asked again.

"Of course I'm okay," I reply sharply, "you think a little rain bothers me?"

"I am Groot," Groot responds.

He's right, I might not mind a light shower but the rain is getting worse by the second. We need to find some shelter before it really begins to throw it down.

"Over there," I say, pointing to a closed up shop at the end of the street. It looks abandoned and a few of the windows are cracked but it has a jutting out roof that should protect us from the rain.

"I am Groot," Groot says in agreement and follows me towards it.

"Come on out of the way, out of the way," I shout as we push our way though the crowed street.

Most people ignore me but I do notice a few of them looking at me with disgust.

"What's your problem losers?" I snarl, "never seen a teenager before?"

Normally this would ensure a fight but none of them dared come near me when I had a seven-foot tree-man with me, not that I couldn't take them without Groot's help. I flop down on the ground once we reach the shelter of the shop. My poor feet have been killing me all day.

"I am Groot," Groot says.

I look out at the sky and see that it will be dark soon.

"You're right it's time to sleep," I sigh then add, "You go ahead I'll just keep watch in case anyone comes along."

"I am Groot." Groot replied.

"No, no I don't I'm fine I'm not going to sleep okay, it's no big deal."

"I am..." Groot stated to protest but I cut him off.

"I'm not going to sleep dame it," I snap. "Now either go to sleep or don't. It makes no difference to me but I'm staying up got it."

Groot huffs and sits down next to me before closing his eyes.

Groot probably thinks I'm just being a stroppy teenager who thinks he's to cool to need a good sleep but I'm not. Of course I want to get some shut eye but I can't. For all I knew Groot was just waiting for an opportunity like this. I'd close my eyes nod off and then he's attack me, take what little I had and leave me bleeding in a gutter. I'm not going to let that happen. I will not put my life on the line like that. Not that my life was worth much. I sigh and stare out at the rain, knowing it's going to be a long night.

...

At last the rain has stopped and from the looks of it it's going to be a warm day. The sun is out; the sky is clear and the feathered wildlife is singing.

"I am Groot?" My tree-like travel companion asks.

"No of course I didn't stay up all night," I lie without turning.

"I am Groot."

I wasn't exactly sure where Groot expected us to go but he was right we couldn't just sit here all day we had to get moving.

"Okay we'll get going but let's take it easy. My paws are still sore from the seven miles we walked yesterday."

Groot paused for a moment as if in thought before he stretches an arm out towards me and tries to pick me up. I jump back and glare dangerously at him.

"What do you think you're...?" I begin angrily before he cuts me off.

"I am Groot," Groot says and taps his shoulder.

"Oh I see," I say softly then add, "thanks but my paws aren't so bad that I can't walk you know. Oh and another thing, we have to establish a rule here. You don't touch me, ever."

"I am Groot?" the tree-man asks in slight surprise.

"I don't want to talk about it," I reply. "You don't touch me and that's that."

Groot nods.

"Alright then," I say, "let's get going."

We walk in silence through the city enjoying the warm weather and ignoring those we come across. The only thing is the ground is still wet from all the rain of last night. I just avoid stepping in a puddle when all at one I'm splashed with water for no apparent reason. I'm alone with Groot so it could only have been him.

"What the hell?" I snarl and spin round.

"I am Groot," the other apologizes.

"So you should be," I snap. "What the hell did you do it for anyway?"

Groot mutters another apology then turns away and stamps in a puddle. At first I think he's just angry with me for shouting at him but I'm wrong. Groot keeps stamping in every puddle he comes across, all the while a smile on his face. Not for the first time I begin to wonder about the tree-man's sanity. I try to ignore him but after the sixth splash I ask him what the hack he's doing.

"I am Groot," he explained.

"Fun?"I ask in confusion. "What's fun about getting your feet wet?"

"I am Groot," the tree-man said, telling me to just try it.

I roll my eyes then jump in a puddle, splashing water everywhere. It doesn't seem like much fun but I jump in a few more. I'm still not having much fun but then an evil idea comes to me.

"Groot over here," I call to Groot.

Groot comes over and asks me what I want. As he does I kick a large amount of water at him, hitting his leg. Groot moves back in surprise and nearly trips over. I laugh as he wobbles on one leg and try to right himself. My reward is a slash to the face.

"Oh so you want to fight?" I ask with a playful growl.

Groot give me a goofy grin and nods.

Then let's go," I yell then scowl. "Only think is there's not really enough water in these puddles for a real fight is there?"

Groot thinks for a moment then say, "I am Groot."

I follow him as he walks towards who know where.

"Where are we going?" I ask as I try to keep up.

"I am Groot," Greet replies.

"And where are we going to find a water monument?"

"I am Groot."

"Well how do you know we're going towards the city canter?" I ask, "You told me you've never been here before."

"I am Groot," the other explained.

I don't recall seeing a map of the city but then I haven't been looking for one to I shut up and simply follow Groot.

We reach the city canter in about ten minutes and sure enough we find a water monument. The monument is made up of four large squares set around a fountain. They are made of some kind of green stone and are full of water. The monument is dedicated to...I have no idea. I drop my supply bad, start towards one of the squares then stop and say, "After you Groot."

Groot smiles and walks over to a square on the left. He must think I'm being kind but in truth I'm just being smart. There is no way I'm going to turn by back to Groot. One hit from his enormous fist and I can probably kiss the world goodbye. I walk over to the monument, look it up and down then try to scrabble up the steep side of the left square. It isn't easy. Groot tries to help me but I claw at his hand and snap, "I said no touching dame it."

I finally manage to clamber up onto the rim of the square where upon I just stand there looking down into the water. I can't believe I'm actually about to do this. I can't believe I'm actually about to start... playing. Sure I've had a bit of fun with bombs but this is something different entirely.

"I am Groot?" Groot asks as I stand there.

"Err yeah sure I'm ready," I tell him then add, "Are you?"

My question is answered when Groot slams a fist into the water, sending it all over me. I retaliate by splashing water at him. Groot ducks behind the side of the square and hides.

"Oh don't be such a big baby," I scold him, "it's only water."

No sooner have I said this then I'm drenched by Groot. I yelp and try to find cover.

"I am Groot," Groot shouts, telling me it's only water.

This is how we spend out day. Running around splashing each other and acting like children. I'm still distrustful of Groot but I'll admit that he knows how to have fun. At one moment I think I've won out little fight when I give Groot a particularly good splash in the face and send him tripping backwards.

"What's the matter Groot getting wet," I shout somewhat pleased with myself.

"I am Groot," the other replies and shakes him fist.

"Do yourself a favour Groot and give up because there's no way you can win," I laugh.

I regret my words when Groot stands up, a dark smile on his face.

"Groot?" I ask nervously as he stops over to me.

Before I can move Groot grabs me by my top and carries me over to the fountain, being careful to touch only my clothes and not me.

"Groot what are you doing?" I ask in horror.

My question is answered by Groot pulling forward the top of my pants and placing me in proximity to the fountain. I wail as the cold water fills my pants, soaking both them and my underwear. Groot waits until my pants are filled to the brim then drops me with a wet plop. I struggle to stand which isn't easy with my pants so full of water.

"I am Groot?" Groot asks with a triumphant smile.

"Okay, okay I was wrong," I reply with a scowl, "you win."

Groot grins then begins to walk away from the monument. My only chance of keeping up with him is to remove my pants and to pick up my pace while I ignore the looks people are giving me.

"I'm going to get you for this Groot," I snarl as I walk past a shocked man. I'm so glad I shoes to keep my wet underwear on.

"Did you hear me?" I demand when the tree-man remains silent.

Groot just chuckles.

...

I sit quietly as I look up at the setting sun. Groot and I are sitting on a grassy hill just outside Campidor, happily winding down after an eventful day. I'm wearing a black top and pants that I nicked and am eating my way though a box of fruit which I also nicked.

"I am Groot." Groot says once the sun sinks below the horizon.

"You go ahead I'm going to stay up a bit and think."

Groot gives me a thumps-up then settles down to sleep.

I sigh unhappily. I like Groot I really do and I know I want to trust him but I'm just too scared to. As I think I feel my eyelids begin to droop. Maybe I should get some sleep it can't do any real harm can it? I shake myself awake and tell myself not to be so stupid. I have to stay awake...I have to...to...stay...

My eyes snap open as the morning sun blasts me full in the face. I sit bolt upright and hit myself for my stupidity. I can't believe I allowed myself to fall asleep, I just can't believe it. Franticly I look around for Groot. But he's not there and nether is my supply bag.

"You idiot Rocket," I scream out in rage, turning my back to the city. "You should have known this would happen," I continue to shout. "That wooden slime-ball was waiting for this all along. He was waiting for you to fall asleep, for you to give him an opportunity and you hand him one on a silver platter. He's gone, gone. That scum didn't care about you he was just looking out for himself. Never trust filth like him again, never."

I'm interrupted from my ranting by a soft thud from behind and a shocked voice saying, "I am Groot."

I gasp and turn round to face Groot. He stands there with my now full supple bag at his feet. There's a look of utter fury on his face and something else too. Hurt, deep, unbearable, heartbreaking hurt. As I stare at Groot in horror the full meaning of what I've just said hits me. Since the moment I met him Groot has shown he nothing but kindness. He's helped me stay alive, he's shown me what it is to have some real fun and now he's been kind enough to bring me new supplies and what have I done? I've slapped his kindness right back in his face.

"Groot?" I say unsteadily.

Groot looks at me, shakes his head and begins to walk away.

"Groot wait! Where are you going?" I shout in panic.

"I am Groot," comes the reply.

It's only free words but they cut straight to my heart, "Away from you."

"Groot wait," I shout after him, "I didn't mean it."

Groot doesn't stop.

"Groot please I'm sorry, I didn't mean it I swear."

Groot keeps going.

That's when I start to sob. I hate crying because it's weak but I can't stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks as I realize what I've done. Groot is the only person I've met who didn't see me as a monster and I've just shown him what I monster I really am. It's over I have destroyed what may have been my only chance to have a friend and for this a sob bitterly. Finally Groot turns and looks at me.

"Groot I'm sorry okay," I say between my sobs. "I didn't mean it. I was scared. I thought you had...I wasn't...I've been hurt so many times before that I...Please I just don't want to be alone anymore." I burry my face in my paws and continue to sob.

I stop when Groot gently says, "I am Groot."

I look up at him speechless.

"You mean it?" I ask. "You'll give me another chance."

Groot smiles his face full of compassion. That's when I really start to bawl and before I know it I'm hugging Groot around the neck. My small arms don't even go all the way round.

"Thank you," I whisper.

"I am Groot?" the tree-man asks.

"Yeah I know I said no touching but this is a one off."

Groot chuckles then says, "I am Groot."

I smile and whisper, "Yes we'll be friends."


	6. A sinking feeling

A sinking feeling

I smile as the warm sun soaks into my fur. I'm sitting on a river bank watching the water and enjoying the good weather. Normally I'm not into this kind of thing but after six days crawling through sewers hunting down a gambler with a price on his head I don't feel like doing much.

As I sit there I hear heavy foot-steps from behind then a large wooden body sits down next to me.

"Where have you been?" I ask without looking up as I know it can only be Groot.

"I am Groot," he replies.

I look down river at the waterside town then ask, "And did you find anything interesting?"

Groot nods then passes me a sheet of paper. The sheet shows the picture of a red-skinned male with a black Mohawk and a missing left eye. Under the picture it reads, Mathron Bax, wanted for theft and murder, reward 8,000 credits. Contact local authorities for bounty.

"Not bad," I say give Groot a grin then add, "you want to?

Groot nods.

"Then let's go," I reply before getting to my paws and heading towards town.

...

Groot and I stand in the town's security building and are being looked up and down by its chief. I don't think he has a very high opinion of us but then I don't have a high one of him.

"So you're here for the bounty on Bax?" he asks dryly.

"Yeah that's right," I say then add, "know anything that might help?"

"Bax has a bunch of scum working with him," The chief answered. "His last crime consists of stealing a shipment of weaponry that was being delivered up-river to our capital Espaniy."

"And you want these jerks caught before they put those weapons to use?" I ask.

The security chief nods and says, "If you and your... twig can bring him in I'm sure the whole town will be in your debt. By the looks of you mind I think that'll be a big if."

I give him a glare and growl, "You know where they might be hiding?"

"No but I believe it's nearby, maybe somewhere along the river-bank."

"Right," I say then turn to Groot.

"Let's get a move on then," I tell him before looking back at the security chief and calling him an offensive name, enjoying the angry look on his face.

...

"Okay here's the plan," I tell Groot as we stand on the bank of the river. "I'll search down-river, you search up okay."

"I am Groot," Groot replies.

"No I don't think we need to stick together. I can handle anything," I tell him.

Groot shakes his head at this then walks away up-river.

"Stupid tree," I chuckle to myself. I can collect this bounty with my eyes closed.

With that I move down-river. I walk along the river bank keeping my eyes open and my nose alert. It's not long before I smell smoke.

Moving quietly I edge forward until I see a small camp with one guard. His back is to me and he's leaning on one of several weapon crates.

"This must be the place," I whisper to myself then crawl forward until I'm right behind the guard.

"Nice spot this, come here often?" I say as I point my gun to the back of the guards head.

The guard lets out a startled yell and puts his hands up.

"Yeah bad day for you pal," I laugh then add, "Where's Bax?"

"Right behind you, you little freak," I voice says steadily.

I jump and whip round to see Bax and four other men have just arrived from a tree-line a little further up the back. All have a gun in head.

"Oh crap," I swear then jump back as they open fire.

I leap back and return fire, catching one man in the stomach and I think killing him.

Bax bellows and throws a grenade at me but I leap out of the way and shoot another man in the chest. I aim at a third but then I feel something wrap around my legs, sending me to the ground. I glance down to see a thick rope wrapped around my legs. I reach for my gun, having dropped it when I fell, but it's kicked out of the way by the guard who I startled earlier. The bugger grins down at me then grabs my jumpsuit and yanks me to my paws.

"Now who the hell are you?" Bax asks as I'm turned towards him.

"My name is none of your freaking business," I snarl. "I'm a bounty hunter, that's all you need to know."

Bax and his men roar with laughter.

"Well you're not much of one are you," Bax mocks and pulls at my chin.

I retaliate by biting his finger, getting a punch in the stomach as a reward.

"What should we do with him Bax?" A yellow-skinned man asks.

Bax looks over at the river then says, "Tie his hand and let him go for a swim."

My paws are forced painfully behind my back and then I am carried, kicking and snarling to the water's edge.

"Enjoy your swim loser," The yellow-skinned man laughs before throwing me out into the river.

I sink immediately, my nose and mouth filling with water.

I thrash about but that only means I reach the bottom of the river sooner. _Stop Rocket, think._ I tell myself as my lungs begin to burn. I look around me, searching for something, anything that might help me out of this mess. The only thing in sight other than a hell of a lot of water is dozens of stones lying on the river bed. With a great deal of difficulty I crawl my why over to the sharpest one and begin to run my roped paws up and down its edge. The burning in my lungs worsens, making then feel like they are on fire and now panic sets in as my vision begins to go funny. At last the rope snaps and my arms are free. I start on my legs but I know my time is running out, fast. I can hardly think. Only one thought fills my mind and it's the unbearable pain in my lungs. After what seems like an agonizingly long time the last of the rope falls away. I feel so weak now but I force myself to swim upwards towards the sunlight. It's no good. I've got halfway there but I'm sinking again. I put all of my remaining strength into swimming forward. Pointless, I'm just too weak. _It can't end like this,_ I think to myself as the surface gets further and further away, _I deserve better than this, I do._ Suddenly an arm plunges into the water and grabs hold of me. I wrap an arm around it and allow it to pull me out of the water and onto the back. It is of cause it's Groot.

"Groot?" I ask weakly, "Where did you come from?"

"I am Groot," Groot explains, telling me that he heard gunfire and came running. He also tells me that after a polite word between his fist and Bax's head he had been told where I was and so had saved me.

"Thanks bunny I owe you one," I reply as I suck in air. "I guess splitting up wasn't such a good idea after all."

"I am Groot," the other replies with a triumphant, told you so, look on his face.

"Oh you're really rubbing it in aren't you," I huff.

Groot nods and then we both laugh until it hurts.


	7. Compassion for two

Compassion for two

Night-winter-2 months after lab escape

I rap my arms around myself and shiver as soft snow falls around me. I look up at the sky. It's getting dark now, the day is almost over and night will be here soon. A cold, bitter and cruel night like so many others I've come to know. Slowly, unwillingly I get to my paws. I have to find food, somewhere, anywhere. It's been four days since I've had a morsel of food pass my lips. I'm slowly starving and I know I won't last much longer. Before heading out from the side-ally I'm hiding in I look down at the icy ground for a drink of water. It was snowing a lot earlier on and that snow might have melted into a few puddles. I'm relieved to see I'm right. There is a small one just in front of me. I bend down and lick at the water. It's so cold it hurts the inside of my mouth but still I drink what I can. When the cold becomes unbearable I stop drinking and simply kneel there, gazing down at my reflection, the reflection of a thin, hungry, lonely, sad little child without a friend in the galaxy.

"Keep on going Rocket," I tell myself. "Just keep going a little bit longer. Think of food, you'll have some soon."

I slip out of my hiding place and take a sniff about. All I smell is snow and it makes me feel even colder. Across the street I see a line of shops; maybe some of them have food it. Hopeful I run across to them and stare into one of the shop windows. The shop is full of clothing of all kinds and colours, for both men and women. I look down at the shreds of clothing that are scarcely enough to cover my own tiny body and sigh. _If only I had a bit of money I could..._ I'm brought out of my thoughts as a woman who has her arm linked with a man points at me and screams.

"Oh it's disgusting, the little monster." she cries.

"I'm not a..." I begin but then I see the man raise his hand to throw a bottle.

I run. I've been smashed across the head once before by a bottle and I don't fancy it happening again.

I stop and shake my head sadly, wondering for the millionth time what I ever did to merit so much hate from others. Then my stomach is aching again and I continue my search for food.

...

Nothing. I've been looking for over two hours for food and I've found nothing other than trash that is to rotten to even thing about eating. I'm just about to give up and return to my ally when my nose picks up something. I take a sniff and my heart jumps for joy as I smell food. Quickly I look around so see where the smell is coming from and just a little way down the street I see a market stall with selling food. In a flesh I reason out that since its night now there won't be anyone around buying from the stall and that means I can sneak over and grab as much food as I can carry. I make my way silently over to the stall, careful not to be seen. There is so much food here I can hardly believe it, bread, and fruit and cakes. I grab a loaf of bread and tear into it. It tastes so good I nearly sob but don't as I can't afford to be heard. I swallow the chunk of bread then fill my arms with as much food as I can carry. This is when I hear the click of a gun and I know it's a gun aimed at me. Slowly I look up to see a young boy holding the gun that is pointed at my face. The boy is I think a fair bit older than me and has black hair, pointed ears and yellow eyes. He looks angry. My eyes widen with fear and I swallow hard.

"Thought you could steal from my dad did you?" the boy says, "well not today vermin."

"I'm...I'm not vermin," I reply in a shaky voice.

The boy's mouth drops open as clearly he didn't think I could talk.

"You can...," the boy begins but then scowls and says, "You're a thief."

I nod as there's no point denying it.

"Look I don't want to shoot another kid okay," the boy tells me, "but you steal from my father and what else can I do. I mean didn't your parents ever tell you stealing is wrong?"

"I don't have any parents," I reply truthful.

"Oh," the others says and I think he might be having second thoughts about shooting me.

"Who takes care of you? Where's your home" the boy questions.

"No one," I reply, "I've got no one and I sleep in a gutter."

The boy finally lowers the gun and then takes a good look at me, something I hate.

"You're not much to look at you know," he tells me, "Your just skin and bones."

"I know that," I snap. "That's because I'm living on the street and I haven't eaten in four days...five now."

The boy opens his mouth to say something but then we both hear an adult's voice shout, "Wilick what are you doing out there?"

"Nothing Dad," Wilick shouts back, "I'm just err...putting some nets over the food."

"Well hurry up son its cold out there."

"Okay Dad," Wilick assures him then turns to me and says, "go on get out of here."

"What?" I gasp in disbelief; surely this boy can't be letting me go.

The boy comes down to my level and whispers "Get out of here. Take the food and go or were both in for it."

I nod and then I run, not once looking back. I run until I reach my side-ally and then I flop down on the ground panting. I can't believe it I'm not dead, I haven't been shot and most of all I have food.

With a smile I pick up a loaf of bread and grin to myself.

"Well that was easy," I say before tucking in.

Night-winter- 4 years after lab escape

I rap my arms around myself and shiver as soft snow falls around me. I look up at the sky. It's getting dark now, the day is almost over and night will be here soon. I crouch down on the building I've spent the last three hours on and look down at my prey. Below me are the members of a local male underworld gang and so far they don't know I'm here. The gang have been making trouble in Yatar city, evading the authorities and killing people all over the place. Now they have a bounty on their heads and I'm here to collect. Normally I would have Groot at my side but he's still healing from being shot up on our last bounty so I'm going this one alone. As I watch two more gang members come into sight carrying a laugh box. The top of the box is off slightly and I think guns are inside, the two gang members but the box down then walk over and stat talking to a guy in a blue jacket who nods. By the look of thing I'm thinking that the gang members have gathered and something big is going down. I decide now is as good a time as any to get down to business. Slowly I make my way down the side of the building until I reach the ground.

"Hello all nice night isn't it," I yell as my paws touch the ground. Every one of the gang members jumps and spins round.

"Who the hell..." one of them begins but I cut him off.

"Name's Rocket and I'm taking you down and it isn't going to be alive." I say with a grin.

They reply by pulling out their guns and opening fire.

I leap to the side just in time and then I roll over and come up with my gun blazing.

I hit two men square in the chest and they go down.

I Jump up onto a third guy and shoot him in the neck, leaping off him as he falls to the ground.

I nearly get blasted by one of the gang-man with a double-barrel blaster but I hop backwards just in time receiving only a nick to my shoulder.

The guy takes aim at me again but don't get the chance to shoot as I let loess the bomb I have strapped to the back of my jumpsuit. One quick throw and it's all over for this gang as the blast takes out all five that remain. I bend down and stat picking up some evidence to show my payer that I have indeed killed off this gang when I see a shape running. I look up to see that I have missed one of the gang members.

"Running will get you nowhere pal," I mutter then shoot the guy in the leg.

The man screams and hits the ground hard.

I walk over to him and point the gun at his head, my expression blank. The man it turns out is only a youth and he looks terrified. He has black hair, pointed ears and yellow eyes and I feel like I've seen him somewhere before. Judging by the way he stares at me I think the youth must be thinking the same.

"I know you," he whispers, "You're that kid from Malabin V."

"What?" I ask, slightly taken aback.

"Don't you remember? You were starving and weak. You tried to steal food from my father's stole. I let you take it."

In a flesh the memory comes back to me and I allow myself a grin as I think about how much I've changed.

"Yes," I say to the youth remembering his name is Wilick, "I was starving and weak and look at me now. I've come quite a way haven't I?" Having said this I begin to press down on the trigger of my gun.

"This isn't anything personal okay kid," I say with a sick grin.

"No please don't shoot," Wilick begs.

"You know Wilick if you wanted to live you shouldn't have joined this little gang," I say and gesture to the bodies around us.

I had no choice," he replies. "My home is gone and my father is dead. I had nothing."

"Yeah and now you've got nothing again," I laugh and get ready to kill.

This is it all I have to do is pull the trigger of my gun then I can collect my reward but somehow I can't shoot. If not for this thing laying here in front of me I might not have made it that night. Can I really just kill him after that?

_Don't be an idiot Rocker,_ I think to myself,_ think of the money he's worth._ _You've been promised two hundred units per gang member I kill, and two hundred is a lot of money to lose. _Then another though comes to me._ This trash gave you a chance at life you should return the favour._

I sigh and lower my gun before saying, "You know Wilick I was told you were worthtwo hundred units but you're not. You're not even worth the ammo I'd use."

I turn and begin to walk away.

"You're, you're letting me go?" Wilick asks in amazement as he staggers to his feet.

"You let me go once," I answer over my shoulder. "Now I'm letting you go so get out of here before I change my mind."

"Thank you," Wilick gasps then limps away into the night.

I sigh again as I watch two hundred units walk away but then I remind myself that it's only two hundred units. I can make the loss up in no time.

**Really sorry it took so long for me to update but there's the next chapter . I hope you enjoy it and Please review.(hardly anyone does) **


	8. Nightmares and friendship

Nightmares and friendship

I run faster than I've ever run in my life. My mission is simple, stop Ronan before he destroys Xandar. Suddenly I stop running and my eyes widen in horror. I see bodies in front of me, hundreds of them, all dead. I know them all because everyone of them are people that I've killed or let die. They are all dead but their eyes stare at him accusingly. I see Saal and hundreds of people from Xandar, hundreds that I failed to save. Then I see the faces of the untold number of souls I've killed for money. Everyone of the bodies are dead but someone they stare at me, blaming me for their deaths. I shiver and walk on, trying to ignore their cold lifeless eyes. Suddenly a sensation of dread comes over me and I have a feeling I should look up. I do and I nearly scream. Above me is a face masked is shadow. All I can really see are the eyes as they stare at me and I know at once that whoever they belong to means me harm. I run, not even knowing where I'm going, not caring. I have to get away from those eyes, no matter what I have to get away. I stop when I feel metal under my claws. Confused I look down and see that I'm standing on a white metal surface that starches out in all directions. It takes me a moment for my brain to compute what it was but now I do and my eyes widen in horror. I'm standing on an enormous lab table.

"No," I scream and then I'm falling, down, down, down.

Now I'm in a lab room, strapped to a table and I see no way out.

"No, please no," I scream franticly.

Suddenly I see figures all around me. They are dressed in white lab coats but I can't see their faces. Now they begin to chant, whispering the same word over and over again. "Subject, subject, subject..."

With a crack a door at the end of the room opens and another figure staggers in and just one look at it in enough to drive me nearly insane with terror. The horror that makes its way into the room has the shape of a man but it's body is make entirely from surgical instruments. The legs and arms are cannulas, the body and head are made up of all kinds of cutting tools and worst of all the fingers are syringes and they are reaching towards me.

"No please don't. Please have pity on me" I beg tearfully.

My pleading does no good and all I can do is watch as those terrible syringes come closer and closer.

...

I wake up screaming and thrashing. I don't know where I am, it's so dark and something is wrapped around me. I lash out trying to get free of the thing that covers me and that's when I fall out of bed with a painful crack on the head. Slowly I realize that I'm in my room on board the Milano. I knees there on the floor, bent over, breathing hard and shivering. My body is shaking; my fur and jumpsuit are soaked in sweat and now tears begin to trickle down my cheeks.

"I wasn't real, it wasn't real," I tell myself between sobs but it doesn't help.

Just when I think I can't sink any lower a new smell hits me and fills me with disgust, it's the smell of urine. Quickly I strip my jumpsuit off and look down at my fur. I can see all too well that in my nightmare endued fear I have wet myself and badly. Urine soaks nearly all of my lower body and it's a safe bet that my jumpsuit and bed are the same way. The feeling on humiliation is too much and I burry my face in my paws and whimper. That's when I feel something touch my shoulder and I realize that they are fingers. Part of my mind is still in my nightmare so I scream and pull away, fresh urine running down my legs and onto my paws.

"Please, don't hurt me," I whimper.

"I am Groot," a voice replies softly and full of compassion.

Groot?" I ask shakily.

"I am Groot," Groot asks again and moves forward.

"Stay away Groot," I tell him, turning my back. "I don't want you near me right now. I don't want you seeing me like this." I wipe a paw across my nose and add, "I smell wired right now."

"I am Groot," my friend replies.

I'm a bit hurt by this comment. I would never claim that I smelt good right now but being told that I always smell wired was a bit much.

I'm about to tell Groot this when he says, "I am Groot?"

I nod then say, "Yeah it was a nightmare.

"I am Groot?"

"No I don't want to talk about it; it's just...just too horrible."

"I am Groot," the other says and strokes my cheek with a vine, whipping away a tear.

I swallow hard then in an unsteady voice I say, "It was a bad one tonight. I mean all of my nightmares are bad but this one was way out there." I saw Saal and hundreds of others I've killed or let die. I saw all the people from Xandar I failed to save."

"I am Groot," the other says in alarm then tries to reassure me that it wasn't my fault.

"I guess not," I sigh then go on to tell him the rest of my nightmare.

After I finish Groot hums sadly then stands up and walks into our small bathroom.

He's gone for a minute or two before returning with a cloth, a towel and a jug full of warm soapy water.

"I am Groot," he tells me as he puts the jug down.

"Wash me!" I yell in surprise. "Not a chance."

"I am Groot," Groot points out.

"I know that but I can do it myself," I tell him.

Groot shakes him head and looks down at my still trembling paws.

"I am Groot," He repeats.

"But Groot I'm too old for someone to wash me and it's silly and...and."

My voice trails off as Groot tells me firmly that this is one augment I won't win.

"Fine go ahead," I sigh, "I wasn't using my pride anyway."

Groot chuckles then picks me up and begins to wash the sweat and then the urine out of my fur. Once he's done this and dried me off he picks up my jumpsuit and warps it up in my bed covers before making a face and throwing them to a corner of the room.

"What time is it?" I ask and rub my eyes as I'm now feeling dead beat.

"I am Groot," the tree-man answers telling me that it's the dead of night.

"We had best get some sleep then," I reply and am about to flop onto the floor when Groot looks at me and pats his lap.

"Thanks buddy," I say with a smile and crawl into his lap, forgetting that I'm still naked, not that it would have bothered Groot.

The last thing I'm aware of before I drift off is Groot slowly stroking my head and caring for me like the good friend he is.


	9. A song for you

_**A song for you**_

_I'm so cold, _I think to myself as I make my way blindily through the Milano. Somehow the power has gone down and nothing is working, including the lights, and that means I have to grope around in the dark unaware of anything around me.

"Groot, Drax, Gamora, Quill? Where are you guys?" I shout out.

After receiving no answer I lose my cool and keep shouting until I realize it's pointless.

"Look you idiots," I yell, feeling uneasy, "if you're planing on jumping out at me, don't- unless you want to die very slowly."

Still nothing

I snarl and stomp my way along untill my paw splashes into something wet.

"Yuck," I say then bend down and take a sniff.

My heart skips a beat as the scent of blood reaches my nose. The scent of human blood.

"Quill," I gasp and stagger back. Then I see them. My team, lying in the darkness, covered in blood, and all of then dead, even Groot.

"What...what happened to you?" I gasp out as I look down at my team.

"You killed them," a voice says behind me.

I spin round and the sight before me nearly makes me scream.

An old man stands there dressed in a white coat, a lab coat.

"You killed them, subject," the man goes on, enjoying my terror.

"Shut your stinking mouth," I roar at him. "I would never hurt my own team."

"Why not? That's what you do, isn't it? Hurt anyone who tries to get close to you. You're a monster, subject. You're a monster."

I'm about to yell at him again but before I can he grabs my arm and pulls me towards him and the syringe in his hand.

...

My eyes snap open and I sit up in bed hyperventilating. It takes several minutes for me to calm down and reassure myself that it was just another nightmare, like so many I've had. I tear back the beadsheets, strip off my black pyjama top then go to the bathroom to wash the sweat out of my fur. As I wash a hand touches my shoulder, making me yell.

"I am Groot?" Groot's concerned voice asks behind me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just had a nightmare is all." I reply.

"I am Groot?"

"No, I don't want to talk about it," I say then add, "what time is it?"

"I am Groot."

I groan and run a paw through the fur on my head. I've woken up nearly three hours before I'd normaly be up and about and I don't think I've got much hope of getting back to sleep.

""I'm going to make sure the ship is still flying," I tell Groot as I strip off the rest of my pyjamas and don my blue jumpsuit and head out of my room.

The ship is silent and after a while I get bored of wandering and decide to get a bite to eat, hoping food might make me feel better. The kitchen offers me bread, fruit and leftover chocolate cake. I go for the cake and cut myself an unbelievably big slice and begin to wolf it down when I hear a scream. Instinctively I snatch up a weapon and whip round, my ears pricked. Nothing. I begin to wonder if I imagined the voice but then I hear it cry out again and I can tell it's female.

"Gamora," I yell and race to her room whereupon I fling the door open and enter with a snarl.

The room is empty save for Gamora who is thrashing around wildlly under the covers of her bed. At first I wonder if the enemy is cloaked but then another thought occurs to me. Gamora is having a nightmare.

Knowing that I'm at risk myself I shout, "Gamora, wake up."

She doesn't.

I yell one more time but still she doesn't wake, so I go over to her, shout her name and give her a shove. Gamora is on me in an instant. Leaping from the bed she knocks me to the ground then starts to punch again and again.

"Ow! It's me, you stupid jerk," I yell as she raises her fist to strike me again.

"Rocket?" Gamora asks as she looks down at my blooded face.

"Yeah, it's me," I snarl as I pull myself away from her.

"I'm sorry," she says looking guilty. "I hope I didn't hurt you."

"Hurt?" I snap then add sarcastically, "Oh no, I'm just fine. I wasn't really using my nose anyway."

After this we fall into an awkward silence with Gamora sitting on her bed and me trying to stem the blood that's flowing from my nose. At last I ask if she was indeed having a nightmare.

"Yes I was," she replies bluntly.

"About one of your victims?" I inqire.

"No, about my family. About the moment Thanos came and destroyed my people."

I swallow hard. I've never had a people, but I still know what it's like to feel alone in the universe.

"I'm sorry," I tell her. "You...you have nothing left of your people?"

"Nothing," she says then adds, "or at least nothing I can touch- but I have something in here." With that she puts a hand to her heart.

"A song from my childhood," she goes on. "My mother used to sing to me when I was small."

"And you remember the words?"

"I will always remember them."

I swallow again, knowing that I'm about to tread on thin ice.

"Will you sing it to me?" I ask.

Gamora looks at me hard and says, "It's personal, Rocket. I have never shared it with anyone."

"Can't you make an exception for me?" I ask. "I promise I won't tell anyone. Not even Groot."

"Alright," she agrees. "If anyone know how to keep a secret it's you."

Slowly Gamora starts to sing her childhood song. It's a song of home and family and love and I take in every word.

"Thank you," I say once she is done. "It's quite beautiful."

"It's a little piece of my home." the ex-assassin replies. "My songs are all that I have left of my mother."

"Just like Quill," I muse.

"Yes...yes I suppose you're right, Rocket," she says then asks, "and what about you? Do you have any memories of your mother and father?"

"M...me?" I stammer. "No I...I..."

"What is it?" Gamora asks when she sees I'm struggling inside.

I sigh then say in a quiet voice, "Test tube babies don't have mothers and fathers."

Gamora's eyes widen slightly and she exclams, "You were made in a test tube?"

I nod. "Yeah that's me. The little test tube freak. Just some freaking monster spawned out of a tube of green slime." I bring my knees close to my chest and bury my face in them. "I shouldn't even really exist, Gamora. No mother gave birth to me. My life...it's not even really a life."

"A life's a life," Gamora said, placing a finger under my chin and lifing my head until our eyes meet.

"Listen to me," Gamora goes on, "your life is worth just as much as anyone's. Yes, you came from a lab, and yes, you were bred not born, but you are alive just the same as anyone else. And you're not a test tube freak. You are Rocket. You are one of the smartest, strongest and bravest persons I know- and more than that, you are my friend."

I say nothing and just squeeze her hand.

Gamora smiles then says, "You and I had best get some more sleep before it gets too late."

I nod then head to the door, deciding that maybe I can get back to sleep after all.

...

I think little of our conversation over the next few days until one night I'm in Gamora's room again. I have just come off night watch and am on my way to bed when I hear yelling coming from Gamora's room. I enter to see that she is having another bad dream. I cross the room and walk over to the bed. I don't try to wake her. I just plop myself down on the floor and after a bit of mental confidence building I begin to sing her song. I never sing. My voice is croaky and rough and sounds awful. I go on all the same. As I sing I feel a hand on my shoulder and hear Gamora's voice.

"Rocket?"

"Hi," I say quietly.

"Rocket, that's my song."

"Yeah it is."

"Rocket...thank you."

I grin and reply, "Hey, what are friends for?"


	10. A small talk

A small talk

My eyes snap open as I awake from another nightmare. Out of ten it was a seven. Bad, but not the worst, as out of ten I've had all the way up to freaking eleven. I groan and get up. I'm not willing to go back to sleep as I don't want another nightmare, but I also know there is no point lying in bed for the next few hours doing nothing. I think about waking Groot and talking to him but think better of it as he needs all the sleep he can get. I sigh and look over at his pot.

"Two days, buddy," I whisper. " Two days since I let you die. I'm sorry Groot I...I should have talked you out of sacrificing youself..I'm...I'm sorry I killed you."

I stop talking and wipe my eyes which are beginning to get watery.

I sigh and get out of bed. I can't sleep and talking to Groot is making me start the waterworks too. I decide to go to the bridge and stare at the stars.

Leaving my room, I make my way to the bridge, get ready for a long and boring night...and stop in my tracks as I hear the sound of sobbing. I enter to see Drax sitting in one of the chairs. He's looking at something and is sobbing to himself. I roll my eyes at first thinking he's a idiot but then I hear him speak.

"I still love you both, my wife, my child. I will always love you and I wish you could be here with me. I'm sorry, I should have protected you."

As he speaks I feel something in my chest. I think it's regret and maybe even a bit of guilt. Drax begins to sob again and I'm remined of what happened between us.

_I stand there looking livid. Drax is there with Groot and then I start yelling at him about how everything is his fault._

_"You're right," Drax says sadly , " I was a fool. All my anger was just to distract me from my loss"._

_Oh, boo-hoo-hoo," I mock him cruelly."my wife and child are dead. Boo-hoo-hoo."_

_Groot gasps and covers his mouth, shocked at how callous I'm being._

_"I don't care if it's mean," I yell..."__**I don't care if it's mean**__."_

Those last few words stay in my head and I feel a bit of shame. Now I'm thinking about the moment when I was crying over Groot's remains and how it was Drax of all people that tried to comfort me even after the things I said to him. I sigh, knowing that I have to make things right with Drax and now is the time to do it.

"Drax" I say, making the big man jump.

"Rocket? Did you want something?" Drax asks as he looks down at me.

I hate people looking down at me becuase it reminds me of just how stinking short I am but I swallow my pride and go on.

"Look Drax," I continue, " I was err.. kind of wondering whether you needed any err.. help with night duty...you know what I mean."

"Yes I know what you mean," Drax replies, " and no, I do not need help with night duty. I can detect an enemy perfectly well on my own if one should approach the ship".

I sigh and run a paw through the fur on my head. I really wish I wasn't doing this.

"Drax," I say calmly, " what I mean is, I need to talk with you."

"Then you may do so."

"Good" I say then hop into a chair befor turning to face The Destroyer.

"Okay, let's get the ball rolling," I say.

Drax looks confused and his eyes dart about the cockpit looking for the ball in question.

"It's a metaphor," I explain to Drax.

Drax looks confused again but then waits for me to speak my mind.

"Look Drax, I got to talk to you about what happened on Knowhere."

I see Drax stiffen up and he looks angry.

"If you mean to mock me again..." he begins but I cut him off.

"No that's just it," I answer. "I...I came to apologise to you. What I said back there about your family...I had no right to. I mean you were a freaking jerk for trying to take on a freaking army by yourself, but I went too far."

I swallow, knowing what I say next will require me to fight down a hell of a lot of pride.

"I don't ask to be forgiven very much," I go on, "and maybe that's because I'm not one to forgive, but I'm asking for it now. So what do you say? Will you forgive this idiot or not?"

"Yes," Drax said after a long pause. "Yes, I will forgive you, and thank you for saying that you were wrong."

I curl my toes uneasily then mutter, "Sure, no sweat."

"Indeed not," Drax replies. "I believe it is not hot enough for either of us to sweat."

I laugh then explain that's it's another metaphor. The Destroyer just nods then we sit there silently until I speak up.

"Thanks as well, Drax. You know...for being there for me on Xandar." I say in a small voice. "See, before Groot died, I never knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. I had no idea you could feel so lost, so alone and empty. I was hurting real bad but then you came to comfort me. I mocked your family and hit you when you were down but you were still there for me when I was hurting so...thanks."

Drax smiles and says, "I am happy to have been there for you and to have comforted you in your time of need. What I mean is...no sweat."

I laugh loudly and tell him there is still hope for him yet.

After that we are both silent for a while, lost in thought until I look at the image Drax is holding then reach out for it. Drax seems reluctant at first but then he gives it to me.

I look down at the image of Drax with his wife and daughter. Drax is holding the girl in his arms, his wife by his side and they look happy and at peace with life. It's a family and for just a moment I feel a stab of jealousy, envying him for having the thing I never could, but the moment passes.

"They are very beautiful," I say as I hand the picture back. "You must have been very happy with them."

"Yes I was," the Destroyer says with a nod then adds, "I must return to my night duty."

"Okay," I say then stick out my paw. "So no hard feelings between us then?"

Drax takes my tiny paw in his huge hand and shakes it as he's been told what this means.

"No bad feelings at all, friend Rocket," he answers.

I grin.

"Glad to hear it friend Drax, glad to hear it."


	11. Me and my tree

Me and my tree

I open my eyes and sit up in bed. Something has woken me and I'm not happy about it as I was having one of my rare sleeps when I wasn't a victim to nightmres. My anger disapears however when tiny fingers touch my paw and a high-pitched voice squeaks, "I am Groot."

I turn and look down at the small tree-child who is smiling up at me. I grin down at him and stroke his head foundly.

"Morning is it," I ask. "Time for me to get my bottom out of bed is it?"

"I am Groot," Groot replies.

I stratch, yawn then swing my legs over the side of the bed.

"Okay I'm up," I say then add, "thirsty?"

Groot nods.

I fetch I jug of water for Groot then tell him I'm off to get my own breakfast before I head out of our room.

I go stright to the dining area . The others are all there eating breakfast. I walk over to the table and clamber onto my seat.

"Morning Rocky," Starlord says cheerfully then adds, "You feel better since yesterday?"

Quill would of course be refering to the fact that I had been working hard the other day. Working hard I guess was an understatment. I had been working myself into the ground trying to keep the ship up and running and trying to get some high ranking jerk to help out a city of unluck sods who were starving after a famin. The result of my hard work was a bit of a breakdown. The others had then ganged up on me and forced me to stop working and to go to bed. Today however was a new day and I was more then well enought to get back to my work.

"I'm fine Quill," I reply then add, "what's for breakfast?"

"Here," Gamora says and gives me a plate full of pancakes.

I grunt in thanks then start to stuff the pancakes into my face.

"So what's the schedule for today?" I ask after my secound plate of pan cakes.

"Quilll, Drax and I are going to take care of a few problems in a nearby system," Gamora anwsers. "You on the other hand are staying here and will do nothing.

"What!" I demand.

"You need to rest," was the reply.

"Like hell I do," I snap.

"Gamora is right," Drax pipes up. "We do not want you to become unwell again."

"Look," I growl, "Yesterday was a one off. It won't happen again."

I look at Quill for support.

"Sorry buddy but I'm with the Destroyer and the chick on this one."

"But I..." I begin to protest but stop short when Gamora slams a fist down on the table nearly getting my paw.

"Enough," she shouts at me. "You are having a day off or I'll pull your arms off and you'll never work again."

"Fine," I snap and leave the table knowing better then to anger the most dangerous woman in the universe.

I storm to my room, pull the door open, slam it and flop down onto the floor.

"I am Groot?" Groot asks, looking up from where he is playing.

"Nothing," I huff.

"I am Groot," Groot says and comes over.

"Leave me alone Groot," I growl. "I'm in a bad mood right now."

Groot sits next to me and starts to blow leafs onto my nose. At first I try to stay angry but after a few seconds a smile breaks across my face and I laugh, "Will you stop that you idiot."

The tree child giggles.

"Come here," I say and sit Groot in my lap.

"Well Groot it seems I've been bullied into taking a day off from my work."

"I am Groot?" Groot asks, wanting to know what I plan to do with myself.

"Not sure yet but I'll find something." I tell him. "I have nothing to no. It looks like a whole day of being stuck here with..."

I trail offthen smile down at Groot.

"You know what buddy?" I say, "Let's spend the day together. Just you and me. What do you say."

"I am Groot," the tree-child squeaks joyfully and claps his hands.

I laugh and say, "Okay what do you want to do? Want to start with a game?"

"I am Groot."

"Hind and seek? Okay you hide and I'll seek," I say before operning the door then turning around I begin to count.

Groot quickly runs off leaving me to count. Once I reach one hundred I yell, "Ready or not I'm going to blam murdered you."

Having said this I begin my search.

...

The others are already gone so the ship is for the most part silent, meaning I can ues my ears and eyes to find Groot. I look in the hold first but it's empty so I make my way to the dining area,tiptoing as I do but again I find nothing. I'm just about to go to the cockpit when somethings brushes my shoulder. I turn rond just in time for Groot to jump out at me and yell "I am Groot"

I let out a girly shreak and fall backwards, making the blasted tree-child giggle his silly head off.

"Freaking hell Groot that wasn't funny." I yell.

Groot giggles again and tell me it was in fact very funny.

Oh really," I ask dryly then lunch myself at him and yell, "Come here."

Groot gasps and makes a run for it, heading out of the ship.

"Groot wait," I shout and run after the trouble making tree, "it might not be save out there."

As I run out of the ship I see Groot stading a little way off in muddy ground.

"Groot what do you think your doing!" I demand. "You can't just go running off like..."

I don't get any more out then this because at that moment I trip and land on my back in the mud.

"Oh bugger," I yell then get up, lose my footing and fall down again. This time I land face down in the mud.

Groot giggles hysterically.

I scowl up at him and say, "You think that's funny do you?"

Groot nods and giggles again.

I just smile sweetly at him and say in a soft voice, "Groot come here I have something to tell you."

Groot looks wary at first but then comes over.

"I am Groot?" he asks.

I reply by throwing a paw full of mud in his face befor saying "There see how you like it."

Groot squeaks joyfully then taggles me and so the mud battle is on.

...

I stand in the Milano's bathroom and dip a toe into the bath water to test it. It's nice and hot. I pick Groot up and place him in the water before stripping off my muddy jumpsuit and climbing in myself.

I lean back and cloes my eyes, enjoying the feeling of the warm water soaking into me. I smile to myself when I feel Groot playing with my tail and even go so far as to smack him gently with it, which only encourages him to play with it more.

After a while of soaking and having my tail played with I open my eyes and tell Groot it's time for me to clean all the mud out of him.

It takes quite some time for me to wash all the mud off his body. This is partly due to the amount of mud and partly because like all children Groot won't keep still for long.

"There, all done" I say after we have between us splashed half the bath water onto the floor and have equally messed about in the tub.

"I am Groot," Groot says happily.

I chuckle and tell him that yes baths are fun. I then get out of the bathtub, shake off a bit, wrap us both in a towel and begin to dry Groot off.

Once I'm done with that I pick him up and rub my nose with his.

"Who's a good little tree?" I say, "Who's a good little tree? You are Grooty. Yeah you'er daddy's good little tree."

I stop and sit there motionless deep in thought. I don't know what made me say what I did. I have no idea why I said daddy. I'm not Groot's daddy, noone would ever call me his daddy but still that's what I had said. I'm so lost in thought that I don't even notice Gamora standing there until she speaks.

"It seems I've caught you in a sweet moment," she says making me jump.

I turn to her, a bit embarrassed by the fact that she has indeed caught me in a sweet moment. That and the fact that I'm in nothing but a towel.

I laugh awkwardly and say "Yeah looks 't know you are back."

She nods and replies, "We've taken care of buissness and it look like you enjoyed your day off after all."

I smile then say, "Well I took it as an oppertunity to look after the baby."

"I wouldn't have thought this of you but you are surprisingly good with a child. I think you would make a good father if you ever had children."

I shake my head sady and say, "Since I started taking care of Groot I've thought the same thing but it's never going to happen. I'm never going to have kids."

"Why not?" Gamora asks rasing an eyebrow, "If you want a child one day then why turn away from that?"

I swollow hard before saying, "because I'm infertile."

Gamora looks slightly taken aback then say, "Rocket I'm sorry I didn't know."

"It's not your fault," I reply. "It's all thanks to those scum who made me."

"What do you mean," Gamora asks as does Groot.

"The scientists who made me did something to me," I explane. "Thay canged something in my DNA I've tryed to rewite it a dozen times but nothing works What they did can't be undone."

"Why would they do that?" The ex assassin demands, angry on my behalf.

"They thought it would help them break me. See when I was stuck in that lab I held onto the hope of getting out oneday and settling down someplace. You know meet a nice girl and have a few kids. If I did then maybe I wouldn't be a one of a kind anyomre. Maybe I wouldn't be as much of a freak." I look away from Gamora and whipe a paw across my dampning eyes before adding, "But that's not going to happen...ever. Those pigs took that away forever. There ain't no thing like me but me. I guess there never will be."

Gamora smiles sadly at me then takes my paw and says, "I'm sorry Rocket. Truly I am but just remember that behind every cloud there's a silver lining."

I snort then ask biterly what silver lining she can see behind my infertility.

"It makes the time you do have with a child that bit more precious." She tells me then adds, "You should sleep. We have a big mission tomorrow."

With that she kisses my cheek and walks out of the bathroom.

After sitting there for a moment thinking about all that has been said I get up and go into my room. Once there I slip on some X-man pajamas and get into bed. I'm about to drift off when I look over to Groot and say, "Groot? You want to sleep with daddy tonight?"

Groot smiles and comes over. I help him into bed where he snuggles up to me.

"Good night Grooty," I say.

Groot hums happerly and then we both drift off to sleep.


	12. Dance bros

I open my eyes slowly. The brightness of the room making me wince. I'm chaided hands and feet to the floor and bleeding badly. My heartrate speeds up as I hear footsteps approaching

"Well you look pathetic don't you?" a voice I know to be Quill's laughs.

I look up and whimper when I see the whip in his hand. The whip he's used on me so many times these last few days. They used whips against me on Halfworld and so they terrify me.

"Please," I beg, "Please don't...please"

Quill bursts out laughing again and says, "You're not very bright are you Rocket. You though you could trust me and the others didn't you? You thought we cared about you. Well we don't and nobody ever will. You're a monster and you'll spend the rest of your life getting what a monster deserves"

Quill then raises the whip and brings it down on my back.

...

I gasp and sit up in bed. My breathing is hard and my eyes quickly dart about the room looking for danger but I find nothing. I rub my eyes, whiping away tears then I get out of bed and stand there shaking.

A vine touches my shoulder and a sleepy voice asks, "I am Groot?"

I feel bad about waking up groot. He only got out of his pot a few days ago and still needs a lot of rest.

"I'm find buddy," I sigh. "I was just a bad dream but nothig to worry about."

"I am Groot."

"No I don't want to go back to bed I'll just end up having another nightmare and waking up again."

We fall into a silence then until I tell groot that I'm going to build something.

I go over to one of the corners of the room and turn on a small glow lamp. As always my room is full of all kinds of scrap metal. I sit down and pick up a paw-full of the junk but don't get any further then his as I ecounter a small problem. I can't think of anything to build. No metter how hard I try, nothing comes to me. All I can do is stare at the pieces of metal in my paws.

"I am Groot?" Groot asks and comes over

"I'm fine I just don't seem to be able to build anything right now. Nothings coming to me."

I look down miserably and my ears go flat agianst my skull.

"I am Groot?"

I nod and say, "Yes because of my nightmare. The accurseded thing is still in my mind so I can't work.

I brack off and start muttering bad language under my breath.

Groot pats me on the shoulder and tells me, "I am Groot." Or in others words "Oh Rocket things are going to get easier."

I rool my eyes and say, "You've been listening to Star-lord's mucis haven't you."

Groot nods then breaks into a smile and a, "I am Groot."

"What!" I exclaim and start at him. "Me listen to Quill's music?"

Groot nods again.

"But Groot you know I don't listen to Quill's stuff."

"I am Groot," Groot begins to protest.

"No, no and no," I tell him firmly and cross my arms.

That's when the little villan uses his big eyes on me.

"Don't you dare," I warn him. "Groot, Groot I mean it don't you dare."

But Groot isn't listening and his eyes just get bigger and bigger and...

"Oh alright," I yell in defeat, "I'll try Quill's stupid music."

Groot smiles at this and pushes me towards the door.

"I'm going, I'm going," I huff then head off to Quill's room.

Quill is sleeping soundly in his bed and as luck has it his walk-man isn't around his neck. This is somewhat amazing but also to my advantage. I quickly nick the walk-man then dash off back to my room.

"Here," I grunt and hand it to Groot.

Groot hits the play button and skips to _I want you back._

_Uh-huh huh huhhh_

_Let me tell ya now_

_Uh-huh_

"I am Groot" Goot yells with glee and begins to dance.

I just rool my eyes.

_When I had you to myself, I didn't want you around_

_Those pretty faces always made you stand out in a crowd_

_But someone picked you from the bunch, one glance was all it took_

_Now it's much too late for me to take a second look_

Groot contiues to dance about and much to my own supries I find that my foot begins to move up and down to the music.

_Oh baby, give me one more chance_

_(To show you that I love you)_

_Won't you please let me back in your heart_

_Oh darlin', I was blind to let you go_

_(Let you go, baby)_

_But now since I see you in his arms_

_(I want you back)_

_Yes I do now_

_(I want you back)_

_Ooh ooh baby_

_(I want you back)_

_Yeah yeah yeah yeah_

_(I want you back)_

_Na na na na_

Groot notices my foot tapping and squeaks, "I am Groot."

"What?" I exclaim. "Me...dance?"

"I am Groot."

"Noway Groot I ain't dancing, not ever."

_Trying to live without your love is one long sleepless night_

_Let me show you, girl, that I know wrong from right_

_Every street you walk on, I leave tear stains on the ground_

_Following the girl I didn't even want around_

"I am Groot?"

"No, noway," I say again, "I don't dance. I don't know how."

"I am Groot."

"You can teach me," I say looking a bit sceptical.

Groot nods then points out that it will help keep my mind off my nightmare.

_Let me tell ya now_

_Oh baby, all I need is one more chance_

_(To show you that I love you)_

_Won't you please let me back in your heart_

_Oh darlin', I was blind to let you go_

_(Let you go, baby)_

I think this over for a moment but then sigh, swollow my dignity and get up from where I've been sitting.

Groot, happy that I'm going to dance skips Quill's music on until he reaches,_Ain't no mountain high enough._

_Listen baby, ain't no mountain high,_

_Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough baby_

_If you need me call me, no matter where you are,_

_No matter how far; don't worry baby_

_Just call my name; I'll be there in a hurry_

_You don't have to worry,_

Groot begin to dance again and tell me to do the same.

"Okay," I say and start to dance or should I say wobble.

Much to my dismay all I manage to do is a funny wobble that makes me look like I'm made out of jelly. It's very degrading. Groot on the other hand finds it hilarious and squeals with laughter. I shoot him a glare and stop my dancing...I mean wobbling.

_Oh baby there ain't no mountain high enough,_

_Ain't no valley low enough,_

_Ain't no river wide enough_

_To keep me from getting to you babe_

"I am Groot," the tree-child apologizes then tells me to just try shaking them groovyhips bro.

I stare at him in horror. Groot trying to talk like Peter is just terrifying.

Groot stares back then says, "I am Groot," again.

_Remember the day I set you free_

_I told you you could always count on me darling_

_From that day on, I made a vow,_

_I'll be there when you want me,_

_Some way, some how_

_Oh baby there ain't no mountain high enough,_

_Ain't no valley low enough,_

_Ain't no river wide enough_

_To keep me from getting to you babe_

I do as he says and I start to shake my hips. It's stupid and pointless but kind of fun. Next I try spining rond the way I've seen Star-Lord do it. I spin, loes my fotting and land with a bump on my bottom. Groot laughs again and this time I laugh with him.

"I am Groot," my friend complments me and helps me up then we dance together

_Oh no darling_

_No wind, no rain_

_Or winters cold can stop me baby, na na baby_

_'Cause you are my goal_

_If you're ever in trouble;_

_I'll be there on the double_

_Just send for me, oh baby, ha_

_My love is alive_

_Way down in my heart_

_Although we are miles apart_

_If you ever need a helping hand,_

_I'll be there on the double_

_Just as fast as I can_

_Don't you know that there_

I think at some point I must have lost my mind because I suddley start to sing along to the song and shaking my hips like mad, mush to the amussment of Groot.

_Ain't no mountain high enough,_

_Ain't no valley low enough,_

_Ain't no river wide enough_

_To keep me from getting to you babe_

_Don'tcha know that there_

_Ain't no mountain high enough,_

_Ain't no valley low enough,_

_Ain't no river wide enough_

_Ain't mountain high enough_

_Ain't no valley low enough_

"I am Groot," Groot tells me after a while now that he's been able to stop laughing.

I don't really want to stop but he's right I Shouldn't wake the others up so I listen to one more song then turn the walk-man off.

"I am Groot?" my buddy inquirers.

"Yeah much better." I reply then hug him.

Thanks buddy." I whisper.

"I am Groot." Groot says then tells me that I'm not such a bad dancer after all.

I just laugh and hug him harder.


	13. The beginning of friendship

The beginning of friendship

I yell in pain as I'm slamed once again in the stomach by a fist.

I'm in prison and have been for the last six weeks. This has given most of the inmates enought time to have al least one go at me. Today it's a green-skinned woman and a big brute of a man from some place called Xandar. The woman holds me while the guy enjoys a innocent game of, **beat up the freaky little kid with the stupid tail. **After the guy gets in a few more punches a guard comes over and says, "Alright what's going on here?"

"We're just having a bit of fun," The woman tells him.

The guard looks between the three of us then tells man and woman to go back to their table and meals. They both look like they are about to argue but when they see the guard has a shock-stick they decied against it. I'mdropped on the floor and left there as my attackers walk away. The guard looks first one way then another before he grins and kicks me in the stomach, luaghing as I yell. As the guard walks away I painfully get up and go over to a table. It's meal time in the prison so the dining area is heaving. I was on my way to dinner when I was grabbed my the scum who attacked me. As always I was attacked for no good reason.

I sit next to a male alien locust thing with a bloody record.

"Looks like you got your self beat up again," He said bluntly.

"Shut your trap," I snarl, turning on him and showing my teeth.

"Woah easy there kid," the guy says, "You don't have to go at me like you did with Zo-zork. Not that I couldn't kick your face into the floor."

I smile. Everyone knows about Zo-zork. The jerk was a filthy little nobody from Ridon V. He was a bully who liked to pick on some of the new inmate but he made a big mistake when he picked on me. I still remember how good it felt to bite three quarters of his right ear clean off. Like Bugy, most people around here could smack me about the place no problme but the weakers ones had decided not to puch me to far. I was happy about this for two reasons. One, it meant not everyone in the prison picked on me and two, it meant I got a tiny bit of a rep as more then just a weak undersized youth.

As I eat I hear a commotion going on and a lot of voices saying things like, "You lot had better behave yourselves," or, "Now I don't want no trouble while your here."

"What's going on?" I ask Bugy with my mouth full. I'm sure Bugy isn't his real name but who cares.

"New arrivals," was the reply. "We get then from time to time. You were the lastest."

"Not any more," I say then stand on top of the table and crane my neck so I can have a look at the poor saps that are being brought in.

None of them are interest whatsoever. Disapointed I'm about to sit down again when the last guy comes in. I nearly do a double take. This inmate is big, real big and looks very strong. The most noticble thing about his however is that he's...well a tree, or something that looks a lot like a tree.

"Noway," Bugy whispers under his breath then stands up and adds, "That's a...no it can't be."

"A what?" I demand.

"Shut up kid," Bugy says coldly.

I growl angrily at him but he ignores me. After a few mome moments of staring at the ood tree-man Bugy shrugs and walks away. I go back to my dinner, knowing I only have a few more minutes before the guards come to take me back to my cell. I'm just un the middle of taking some water when who should come and sit next to me but the tree.

He looks at me and says, "I am Groot."

"Hi, I'm Rocket," I say without looking up.

"I am Groot," he says again.

"Errr...I got your name the first time," I tell him then add, "Did you want something or are you just here to bother me?"

"I am Groot," the stupid tree-man says loudly in my ear making me jump.

I loes it and roar at him, "Who cares! So what if you're Groot? Do you really think that means something to me? Either say something eles or get lost."

Groot looks at me sadly then slowly gets up and walks away.

"Idiot," I mutter and shove the last of my food into my mouth, seconds before a guard comes to lead me back to the cells.

In actual fact I'm sharing one of five huge cells with a fair number of prisoners. Most of them snear as I enter.

"Back to dirty up our space are you, rat?" one man asks.

"Go to hell," I snarl.

I'm reward by a kick to my middle. I hiss and stagger backwards.

The scum who kicked me laughs and says, "You never lean do you freak?"

I walk away without answering. I would fight if it was just one on one but I'm smart enough to know that the second I fight back in here everyone will gang up on me and leave me as a bloody mess on the floor. I know this from bitter experience.

I go over to one corner of the cell and lie on a mat I have placed there. I'm about to get some sleep when I hear a guard yelling something about a guy who only ever says one thing and then somebody in pushed inside the cell. I scowl and look up already knowing I'll see Groot.

Groot looks around at everyone says, "I am groot," and sits down at one end of the cell...my end of the cell.

I huff and pretend he's not there but then he begins to hum, loundly. I growl and turn to him to ask him to stop with the humming, hoping he won't punch my teeth out. Anything I was going to say dies in my mouth as I see that Groot has grown a yellow flower in his hand.

"Are you insane?" I yell, more in alarm then anger, before I grab the flower, pull it away from Groot and crush it in my hand.

"I am Groot," the tree-man yells at me.

I swallow hard and say, "Look let's talk this over okay?"

"I am Groot," Groot says again but this time I for some reason think he's saying that we can talk about what I just did.

"Okay listen and listen good," I say deciding to give this guy some advice. "You don't want to make flowers in here. You know why? Because it's soft and weak."

"I am Groot," Groot begins but I cut him off.

"I mean it," I snarl. "The galaxy is hard, cold, cruel place. Life isn't going to do you any favours. It's going to hit you with everything it's got. You won't find friends, you won't find family, you won't any love anywhere. See it don't matter whether you're a man or a woman or a tree or..." I stop, feeling a lump in my throat and I have to fight hard to stop the tears I can feel building up from running down my cheeks. I get control of myself and in a shaky voice I go on. "Or whether you're just some poor kid who didn't even ask to be brough into this stinking life. The galaxy and everyone in it will hate you and kick you about every chance they get. The only way to stop them from leaving you as a bloody heap in the dirt is to be stronger, bigger and meaner then them. Got it?"

Groot nods, says,"I am Groot," in what sounds like a bitter tone then closes his eyes,ready for sleep.

I turn towards the wall, fists clenched and body shaking. I'm angry now. I'm angry at life and how unfair it is for dragging me into it. I curse under my breath then lie down to sleep.

...

_I shrink back in fear as the door to my cage opens and a clove covered hand reaches in._

_"No, no, please," I sob as I'm dragged out of the cage by the scientist._

_"Please, not again, plea..."_

_I'm slapped across the face until I shut up and then I'm pulled into a rom with a lab table and a lot of scientists. I'm strapped down onto the table by one scientistas another picks up a sharp tool from a tray._

_"I can't do this again...please I can't do..."_

_I'm cut off as my mouth is covered and then the scientist with the sharp instrument is coming over to me, brining the tool to my chest. The cutting begins._

...

I wake with a scream. It's dark, so dark. My eyes dart about for a moment then rest on the bars of my cell. No, no, no, I'm on Halfworld. I have go get out, i have to get out. I run to the bars and try to pull them lose, knowing but stop when I see it's pointless. I keel there breathing hard. I feel sick and faint and am about to sream but then I see he words Denorda prison on the far wall. I remember where I am and a feeling of shame comes over me. I curl up on my met again and sob quietly to myself. Suddenly something is touching my face and I gasp. I can tell from the feel of the thing that it's some kind on vine and that it must therefor belong to Groot. This fills me with horror.

What have I done? Only a few hours ago I told Groot not to let anyone see you in a moment of weakness and now he's seen me in mine.

Shaking I wait for the tree-man te begin beating the life out of me. Whenever I'm stupid enough to let my guard down I'm always beaten or slapped about my somebody who wants to take a crack at the little freak because he can't defend himself. But something odd happens. Groot doesn't start to hurt me but instead contiues to strock my face. What is he doing? Is he attacking me? Tormenting me? Mocking me? Thatt's when Groot begins to hum softly and for a moment I begin to think that maybe he's showing me...what's the word? Kindness? I push this thought out of my head as it's beyond stupid. Nobody feeling anything but hate for me, why would Groot be any different. Yet for all my reasonings Groot still strokes me gently and goes on humming and I'm sure he's trying to tell me everything is okay. Nobody touches me **ever **and I should take his arm off for touching me but for now I just lie there in the dark and let his vines prush me tears away. After a while he stops and I think goes back to sleep, laving me to think over one thing. Why would he do that to me.

The next morning We are all woken early and taken to the dinning area for breakfast. I collect my food then go over to Groot. I haven't forgotten what he did last night and I have to tell him what for.

"Groot," I say,making the tree-man turn, "Look what you did last night, don't. I don't want or need pitty from anybody. I'm not weak! I get it you think you were helping but I'll have none of it oaky. Do not show me pitty."

"I am Groot," Groot says and shakes his head.

"You weren't showing pitty?" I ask, guessing at what he's trying to say.

"I am Groot," Groot says again and tries to touch my face.

I pull away with a snarl but I think I understand what he's saying.

"Comfort?" I ask in shock, "Why would you try to comfort me?"

"I am Groot," Groot replies and points to himself.

"A friend?" I ask and am rewared with a nod. "Why would you want to be my friend?"

Groot just looks me in the eye and that says it all. It's because he thinks I need one.

"Don't...don't you think I'm a freak? A monster?"

Groot contiues to look into my eyes and then he shakes his head.

My tray falls from my paws to clatter on the floor. I take off back to my cell and flop down on my met as silent tears run down my furry cheeks.

After a moment groot comes to the cell and sits next to me. I look up at him and for the first time since I met him I see just how sad he looks. He mustn't have any friends either I realize and then think that maybe he too is seen as a freak.

I don't know why I decide to trust Groot. I never trust people or take them at their word. I did once and all I got for that was pain and betrayal. I never trust now but for some strange reason I think I might give this odd, verbally stunted tree one little shot at that unknown but much desired thing called friendship.


	14. The sweet taste of revenge

The sweet taste of revenge

Xandar(four months after escape from Halfworld)

I look down miserably at my stomach as it growls again. I'm standing in the middle of a city on a planet called Xandar and I'm starving. I haven't eaten in days and all the bins seem to be empty. I wounder about the city looking for food but I can't seem to find only a few scraps that aren't enough to fill even my young body. I'm about to try knocking on a door to ask for food when I see a shop across the street. Outside the shop is a crate full of apples. I smile to myself and run over, forgetting about the houes I was going to beg at. As soon as I reach the shop I pull the top of the crate off and grab an apple. It looks so big and tastey and I'm just about to go into the shop with it when I remeber I don't have any money. I swollow and look down at the apple in my paws. I want it so bad. Maybe if I'm lucky I can take it without being seen. I shake my head and get rid of that thought. I can't steal it, that would be wrong and tuen me into a thief and I don't want to be a thief. I sigh and reach up to put the apple back but before I can I'm hit hard from behind and smack into the crate. I turn round to see a pink-skinned, bald man glaring down at me.

"I'll teach you to steal you little brat," he roars and grabs me my the scruff of my neck.

"No, I wasn't stealing, I was...," I blurt out but don't get any further as the man cracks me hard across the face.

"Silence," the man snarls then drops me on the ground and begins to kick me, all the while yelling names like, scum and vermin.

"Please," I beg as he kicks me, "Please I was hungry. I wasn't going to steal it."

The monster doesn't care about what I say and contiues to kick me until I'm nothing but a heap of blood and fur.

"Please," I beg through the blood in my mouth, "Please I'm sorry. I'll never come here again. I'll never try to steal again. Please just let me go."

"So you admit you. You're a dirty little thief."

"No! I didn't mean," I insitst, realizing my mistake.

The man picks me up and slams me against the crate.

"Please," I sob, "Please I'm begging you, have mercy."

The pink-sninned man laughs, "Oh I'm not going to kill you. I don't want your dirty blood on me."

The man then spits in my face and drops me to the ground.

The pink-skinned, man glowers down at me and spits, "get out of my sight you flithy child."

After a grate deal of effort and falling twice I manage to stand. I begin to limp away but before I can the man kicks me one last time in the back and sends me sprawling.

I scrable up and run as fast as I can, stopping once I reach a small space inbetween some trast cans. I huddle up there and sob. I have no idea why that man attacked me or why he wouldn't listen to me or why he and everyone eles hates me. The one thing I do know is that I'll never go back to that shop again.

...

Xandar(three years after escape from Halfworld.)

I open my eyes and scowl up at Groot who is tickling my nose with a leaf.

"I am Groot," my best buddy says.

I groan and roll onto my side and mutter, "No, don't want to get up. Too sleepy."

The next thing I feel is that blasted leaf tickling my feet. I try to ignore it but it's driving me crazy.

"Alright, alright I'll get up just keep that leaf away from my tootsies." I yell then sit up. It's a bright day and the hillside that Groot and I are on is bethed in early morning light.

I go over to our supplie bag and look through it then say, "We need to into the nearby city behind us and get some more food."

"I am Groot," Groot adds.

"No we don't also need to find me any socks" I say hotly.

Groot mutters something uder his breath but I choose to ignore it. I sling the supplie bag over my shoulder and we head to town.

...

"Okay Groot we've got all we need," I say as I pay a green woman for the bread I've just stuffed in our bag.

"I am Groot," Groot says loudly, he's excited about something.

"What is it?" I ask and turn round.

Groot is pointing to a hologram about apples and tells me that we have to go get some right away.

"I'm about to refuse but then I see a hologram of a pink-skinned, blad headed man next to the one about the apples. Under his i,age it reads, "**Vobin Loss, hia apples are the best in the galaxy.**"

I clench my right fist and snarl as images from my younger days flash before my eyes.

"You know something Groot," I say with a smirk, "You're right we should get a few apples to eat. See I know this guy and I'm sure he'll be very happy to see me again."

As I walk Groot asks me if I have the mony for them and I told him that this time money won't matter.

It doesn't take long for us to reach Vobit's store and once we do I smile to myself and take out one of my guns. A Nova rocket launcher.

I fire close to the builing and and one of the walls is blown apart.

"I am Groot," My friend gasps in shock and asks me what I'd doing.

"Dishing out some payback," I snarl and walk into what remains of the store.

the store is a complete mess. Food is scattered everywhere and cowering in the middle of it all is Vobit.

"Morning," I say with a sick grin.

Vobin looks bewilleded at first then his eyes widened in fear and he tries to get up.

I take out a hand gun and shoot in the air,telling him not to move.

"Oh so you do remember me," I say joyfuly then add, "Do you remeber when I last came here? You know when I wanted one of your apples?"

Vobin gulps and nodds.

"Good," then I say in a hard voice, "Do you rmember how you kicked me half to death? Do you remember how you told me I was scum?"

"I...I..." Vobin begins but I silence him by shooting a box next to him.

"I'm not done yet," I roar then spit, "I was helpless against you then and you loved that. You know something? i wounder if I'm as helpness now, what do you think?"

I then shoot just past his left ear and then his right while shouting,"Well? You think I'm helpless now. You think I'm helpless now?"

Vobin covers his ears with his hands and sobs.

I grap his shirt and glare down at him before growling, "Oh don't worry I'm not going to kill you. I don't want your dirty blood all over my paws."

I then let go of him and turn to Groot and say, "Groot, buddy, take as many apples as you like. They're free of charge."

Groot and I quickly fill a bag full of apples then turn to leave.

"Oh one more thing," I say to Vobin.

The pink-skinned man looks at me then yells in fear as I pull out my gun and shoot him in the side. I decied not to kill him, just hurt him a bit. I then follow Groot out of the store.

...

Groot and I sit on the same hill we had rested on earlier and eat our fill of the apples he had taken from Vobin.

"Oh man these are good," I say contentedly then laugh and say, "Did you see the look on that idiot's face? I thought I was going to give him a heart attack"

"I am Groot," My buddy replies, asking whether or not I may have gone too far.

I scowl then say, "No Groot I don't think I did. See today I got to hit back at just one of the scum that hurt me and I wish I could get back at them all. You know why?"

"I am Groot?"

"Because a good as these apples taste, that revenge tasted better."


	15. Comfort and Joy(part one)

Comfort and Joy

Part one

I hum to myself as I sit at the workstation in my room. I'm making a bomb. Not a 'moon-breaker' (as I like to call them) but still enough to do lots of damage.

My humming turns into singing as I connect the various parts together.

"I am Groot?" Groot asks from a corner of the room where he is tending to some plants he's trying to grow.

I look down at my stomach and say, "No, my tummy is fine. No problems at all. Why?"

"I am Groot."

I put the unfinished bomb down and glare at my best buddy.

"Look," I huff, "I know my singing isn't the best but that was a low blow.'

Groot chuckles to himself.

"Oh sure, go ahead and tease but let's not forget who sang to you while you were growing in your pot."

With that I pull a silly face at him and head off the breakfast.

...

Gamora and Drax are both at the table but Quill is nowhere to be seen. Just as well, because he ends up ruining things with his music.

I sit down at the far end of the table and start to eat some toast.

"Sleep well, Rocket?" Gamora asks.

"I've slept worse," I reply without looking up from my toast.

After a moment's silence Gamora says in a somewhat annoyed voice, "I slept well myself, Rocket."

"Did you? Good for you then."

"You're impossible," Gamora replied hotly and gets up from the table,walking into the other room.

"Now what did I do wrong?" I say, looking at Drax in confusion.

"I do not know," was the reply.

At that moment Quill enters the room and yells, "Guys, guess what day it is?!"

"Is it break the sound barrier day?" Gamora asks from behind Quill, making him jump.

"What? No it's not. It's Christmas Eve."

We all look at him blankly.

"It is," Quill insists then adds, "I made myself a calendar after I left Earth so I know the days of a Terran year, and today is Christmas Eve."

"What's Christmas Eve?" I ask.

Quill look at me and says, "Err, that day before Christmas. What else?"

"What is Christmas?" we all shout in exasperation.

Quill's face drops and then he laughs, "You're kidding right?"

"No," we all say together.

Quill sighs then explanes that it's a Terran holiday that millions of people back home celebrate.

"Peter," Gamora says dryly, "We've only just got to terms with movie night. How would we know about Terran holidays?"

Quill says nothing and the room falls silent; that is, aside from the sound of Groot's footsteps as he enters the room to find and join us.

"So?" I ask Quill eventually, "What does one do on Christmas?"

"It's a day where one spends time with family and loved ones. A day where people bask in each others friendship and remember all the good times they had together."

I groan and turn away. "Sounds disgustingly mushy."

Quill rolls his eyes then says, "It's also a day where you eat and drink a lot."

I smile and look up. "Sounds promising."

"So?" Gamora inquires.

"So let's celebrate!" I yell, arms out wide.

Nobody seems to object so Quill runs to the cockpit and shouts, "We're going to Dosoc VI. They have Terran stuff there."

"What do we need Terran stuff for?" I say, looking at Gamora.

"Well, I'm guessing we need Terran stuff since it's a Terran holiday."

My cheeks burn and I mutter, "Yeah I knew that, just testing."

...

"So this place has got Terran stuff?" I question Peter as we land on Dosoc VI.

Quill had spent the whole trip to Dosoc VI telling us all about Christmas and what people do to get ready for it. Groot had practically self combusted with joy when he heard that it was part of this holiday to decorate a tree.

"Yeah, this moon has lots of cool stuff," Quill says in answer to my question, "There's stuff from all over the galaxy here, including from home. I get batteries for my walkman here."

"Okay cool," I say then walk off to look around.

I take a while but at last I find a huge store selling Terran stuff. The Christmas things are at the back.

"Over here, Rocket," Quill shouts, as he's already there.

I come over and look around and I have to say it's impressive. There are hundreds of tree decorations of all kinds. Tinsel, Christmas ornaments, lights candles and so on. I chuckle to myself as I think about decorating Groot up in some of them.

Next I look at the food. There's cakes, puddings, ice cream and some delicious looking things called mince pies. Heck with it, it all looks delicious. That is save for the vegetables. I tell Quill right away that I'm not eating any of the horrible brussel sprout things that he instists are traditional.

"Either you eat them or you don't get any cake and mince pies," Quills says sternly.

"What!" I gasp in shock, then splutter, "No cake? No mince pies? You can't take thoes away from me that's...well that's barbaric."

"I will," was the reply, "I'm the only one who knows how to do them right, so there."

With that he crosses his arms.

"Okay fine, I'll have one," I reluctantly agree.

"Four."

"Four! No way. Three at the most."

"Four or no cake and pies."

I look down in defeat and agree. After this I go off to find Groot, not wanting to be around Peter anymore after his uncharacteristic show of cruelty.

Groot is nearby and is looking at something wooden.

I walk over and ask him what he's looking at.

"I am Groot," was the happy reply.

"Wooded people? What do you mean wooded people."

Groot just points towards a shelf.

I turn to look and see a set of small wooden figuers. The figuers are made up of a few animals, a boy with an animal on his shoulders, three men wearing crowns ( and who therefore must be kings), a man and lady and a baby lying in a...well, I'm not sure what it is.

"Quill over here, look what Groot's found," I yell across to where I can see Quill.

Quill joins us and tells us that what Groot has found is a Nativity set.

"What's a Nativity?" I ask more then a little confused.

"Mum said it's what Christmas was all about. That Christmas was about the birth of a King." Quill explains

"The baby?" I inquire.

Quill nods.

I look back at the shabby place the figuers are in and take in the fact that the baby isn't even in a proper bed.

"But if he's a king then why is he in a...?"

"Stable."

"Yeah, why is he in a stable and not a palace?"

"I think the point is that he's poor because that kind of wealth and power didn't mean anything to him. See, even though he's on my Earth, he's not from there. He's...well, from Heaven."

I raise an eyebrow, "Heaven?"

"Yeah, Heaven. You must have heard people talk about Heaven?"

I scratch my head and say, "Well yes, but that still don't tell me why he came to your planet."

Peter looks smug, "Oh I know that too. He came to save everyone when he became a man and mum says that's what he did. He did save everyone. On my planet and I bet on others."

I let out a bitter laugh and retort, "Well I wish he could have saved me when I was being pulled apart back on Halfworld."

Quill shrugs and tells me that maybe he did. Maybe my escape from halfworld was down to more then good luck and brains. Maybe someone is watching over me after all. I stare at him open mouthed, not knowing what to say.

Quill smiles and says, "Come on, we have all we need for Christmas. Let's get back to the ship."

I nod, take Groot by the hand and put all the wood figures into a big bag as I want them. I don't feel bad about taking them as they are free. Not that I would feel bad taking them even if they weren't.

As we walk back to the ship I see something out of the corner of my eye. I turn my head and my eyes nearly pop out. One of the shops here is selling weapons and in a glass case is a prize gun. It's not just any gun; it's a double barreled, platinum steel mark 9-VH6 rocket launcher. These babies are rare.

"Groot, look at that!" I say in hoarse voice and point at the work of art before us.

Groot looks at it for a moment then says, "I am Groot."

"You go on ahead okay, I'll catch up in a bit," I reply and head over to the shop.

Trying hard not to jump up and down with glee I push past the shop drones and go over to the case, where upon I stroke it.

"Oh let me find a home for you, beautiful," I whisper as I try to think up a way to steal this gorgeous little boomstick.

I shake my head remembering what Quill had said about Christmas being a time you should try to be nice to people. I guess I'll buy it then and not steal. I check the price of the gun and see that it's two thousand units. I know I have at least three thousand on my unit card. I'm just getting my card out when a fat, ugly, four armed man yells, "Oi! What you think you're doing then?"

"Me? Well I want to buy this gun."

"Sorry, no can do."

"It's not for sale?" I ask a little suprised.

"Oh it is, just not to the likes of you. I don't sell my stuff to talking animals," the man sneard.

"What!" I roar, then snarl, "look pal, I ain't no talking animal and anyhow I got money so what's your deal?"

"Still no sale."

I growl and reply, "I know I want that gun really bad so I'm willing to pay you three thousand and not two. There. I'm offering you three thousand okay?"

"Wouldn't matter if you offered me a million. It's like I said. I don't sell to talking animals. In your case, rats."

"But...but...you can't do that to me," I stutter.

"what you going to do? Cry?"

That did it. I roar and pull out my gun. As soon as I do I have seven guns pointing at me from the shop drones.

"That little toy of yours is no good here. So get lost, unless you want to get blasted," the four armed flarker says smugly. He then adds, "Oh and don't think about coming back here to steal it. I'm going to sell it to the next person I see."

Paws shaking with rage I think over whether or not to shoot the Flarknerd in his smug face but decied not to chance it with all the drones. I lower my gun, hurl the six most offensive swear words I know (and boy do I know some good ones!) at the four armed [censored] and storm out of the shop and back to The Milano.

"What's up, Rocket?" Quill asks as I enter the ship.

"Nothing," I snap.

"I am Groot?" Groot asks.

"No!" I roar with anger but not really at him, "No I didn't get that flarking gun and do you know why?"

"We do not," Drax answers.

"Because the glarker wouldn't sell it to me. He said he won't sell to animals. Yeah that's right! I was going to buy it. BUY! I really wanted it too."

I stop ranting and stand there breathing heaverly. Everyone is looking at me with concern as they can see that I really am very upset.

I just sigh and whipe a paw across my nose and say, "Oh forget it. Let's no ruin a good day."

"So what's first on the Christmas to-do-list?" Gamora inquires.

"I am Groot," Groot shouts excitedly and points at the decorations.

"Oh you want to get dressed up now?" I say with a grin.

Groot nods.

"Okay, then hold still," we all yell. Then the fun begins.


	16. Comfort and Joy(part two)

Comfort and joy

Part two

We had a great time decorating Groot, and by great I mean chaotic. First off it was murder trying to get him to hold still and in the end Drax had to hold him still. This resulted in the tinsel and lights getting wrapped around both of them. Beacuse of this Drax couldn't move and he was none to happy about it. This made Quill laugh, for which Gamora hit him over the back of the head, making Groot laugh till he shook and all the tinsel and lights fell on top of me, burying me. This made everyone but me laugh. Also it didn't help things when Peter blew something called fairy dust onto my nose and stared joking about Peter Pan (whoever he is). Despite all this we got Groot done and as I put the star on his head (using glue). I truly felt that we had nailed the whole tree decorating thing.

After Groot, we decorate The Milano before curling up on the sofa and eating a large box of chocolates while watching a terren movie called, **She's a wonderfilled wife.** Stupid title I know but Quill says it's a must-see for movie lovers. Even if it's more about a suicidal guy being sent back it time by an angel and not really a lot at all to do with wonderfilled wives, but oh well.

Once the film is over, I stretch, yawn and tell the others I'm off to bed.

"Night then Rocky," Quill replies.

"Night Star-man," I mutter then walk off with Groot.

Due to my genius I've fixed the decorations so that Groot can still move about without them falling off him.

"I am Groot," Groot says as he stands in the middle of the room and closes his eyes.

"Yeah Merry Christmas to you too pal," I say sleepily as I drift off.

...

"I am Groot," somebody, who I'm guessing is Groot, whispers in my ear and boops my nose.

I scowl and open my eyes. Groot gives me a big smile and joyfully yells, "I am Groot."

"Christmas morning?"

Groot nods.

"That's nice," I tell him then close my eyes again.

"I am Groot."

"No,I don't want to get up, it's far too early!" I explain and would have gone back to sleep but before I can a leafy vine slips under my pyjamer top and begins to tickle my tummy. I giggle then tell Groot to knock it off but this only makes him tickle me more.

"I said knock it off," I yell and squirm.

Tickle,tickle,tickle.

"Groot, come on man! I'll going to pull something," I get out between laughs

"I am Groot," he chuckles and tickles harder.

I yell and sit up yelling, "Okay, okay, you win!"

Groot picks me up and gives me a Christmas hug. I return it then suggest we go find the others.

As we leave the room I slilently wish a happy birthday to the King in the stable because odd as Quill's story was I can't help but think that it's true.

...

The others are all at the main table and they seem to be each holding some kind of wrapped up box while they talk. Quill had said something about gifts and I'm guessing he's got Drax and Gamora one and they did the same for him.

I scrabble up onto a chair and say good morning and Merry Christmas to them all.

"Same to you Ranger Rick," Quill replys then adds, "Nice get-up by the way."

I look down at my Rambo pyjamers and shrug, "What? I'm a fan."

"Enough of this talk. Let us open these boxes," Drax spoke up.

"I agree," Gamora added, then opened hers.

Inside was a mean looking knife. Drax's box had one in as well and Quill's contained a Terren book but I didn't see what it was about but Quill seemed to be happy with it.

"Wow looks like you guy did good," I chuckle as I fix up my breakfast.

"Yep," they all agree then place a large box, with Christmas angel paper on it, in my place.

"What's this?" I ask, looking a bit suprised.

"A box," Drax tells me somewhat unhelpfuly.

"Open it and find out," Gamora says.

"Okay I suppose I will," I say and open the box up and take out the contents.

I freeze and stare down at my paws in disbelief. In them is the gun I had seen on Dosoc VI.

"I...I," I stammer and sit down. Much to my embarrassment I feel tears welling up in my eyes.

"It's the gun you wanted so badly," Quill explains unnecessarily, "we all chipped in to buy it for you. You like it?"

My only reply is a sniff and a sob.

"He hates it," Drax answers for me, looking disapointed.

"No,no, I love it," I reasure them as my blasted tears begin to fall. "It's just...just I've never been given a gift before. It was totally unexpected is all...errr guys just give me a moment."

I then all out cry until I remember my image and so blow my nose into some leftover tinsle, much to the others displeasure.

"Seriously dude," Quill says.

I cough and say, "I'm good now. Thanks guys. You're the best."

I instantly feel guilty as I realize I haven't got anything to give them since I asumed the whole gift giving was excluding me anyway.

Quill ruffles the fur between my ears and say, "no problem man oh and thanks for your gift."

This makes me even more suprised then getting the gun did and I'm about to ask him whjat he's on about when Groot nudges my leg.

I turn to him and give him a grateful nod, knowing full well that it's him who saved the day.

We finish off opening gifts, all of which are awesome and then we eat a huge Christmas breakfast. After this Quill tells us it's time for a Christmas game that everyone back home loves but to play it we need to go outside. I look out of the window and only now notice that The Milano has landed on a ice planet and that it's snowing outside. I frown at the thought of going out into the cold (how the flark do you go 'out into' something anyway?) but since this is Quill's holiday I decide to go ahead with it.

I quickly run back to my room and put something warm on before joining the others outside. As I predicted, it's flarking frezzing. The others don't seem to mind but then it's not even covering the tops of their toes, where as I'm up to my ankles and barefoot. Brrr.

"So what's supposed to be so much fun about freezing one's tail off?" I demand, glaring at Peter.

The responce was Peter throwing a ball of snow in my face. I yell and fall on my bottom in the snow. Brrrr.

"What the hell?" I demand as I leap up.

"It's a game," Quill replies. "It's called a snowball fight. You kind of throw snowballs at each other. I suppoes whoever gets the most hits wins. Let's say within an hour?"

"You're on," I say with a grin and throw a snowball at Quill.

"Boys," Gamora says with a roll of her eyes.

That's when a snowball hits her in the face.

"Alright that's it," she yells and comes after us.

We spend the rest of the morning and a bit of the afternoon playing in the snow.

We have a snowball fight, make snow angels and build a seven-foot snow...something. Oh yeah, it's a raccoon. Quill called it a raccoon so now I kind of know what they look like. Once we are done and have decided that Drax won the snowball fight we all head inside and sit on the sofa and drink hot chocolate. Well okay, the others drink hot chocolate and I drink Christmas punch.

Quill get's up after a bit and wanders off. He's gone for a while but just when I'm about to tell one of the others to go look for him we hear him yell, "Okay guys, Christmas dinner, come get it."

We all go to the table and I whistle upon seeing it.

Quill has really outdone himself. The table is covered with all kinds of food. Potatoes and quiche (so good), sprouts and beans (whimper) and tons more, inculding meat. Roasted meat. I swollow and look down at the meat with a less than joyful feeling.

"It's okay Rocky, Drax didn't have anything to do with the menu," Quill assures me. He then smirks and says, "Pud and all that is for after. Think you can wait that long?"

I eye the quiche and a jug of gravy and say that I think I can find something to occupy myself with.

"I am Groot," Groot asks Quill.

I nod then say, "Groot's right. We don't want you overworking yourself. You get to enjoy yourself too Star-Lord. Christmas is a Terren holiday after all."

"As long as you guys are having a good time, then so am I," Quill replies.

I think this is a bit soppy but I say nothing. We then dig in. What with all the food and drink (the best of which is wine) it's certainly a meal and a half.

Once we have all eaten our fill, Star-lord brings out the Christmas pudding and cake. The pudding is on fire - much to Gamora, Groot and myself's alarm - but Drax just nods and says, "Most agreeable, friend Quill."

It's then onto another session of eating.

"You know I think I could get used to the idea of doing this each year," I say after we have finished our meal.

"I bet," Quill laughs and pokes my tummy.

I claw at him halfheartedly as I'm feeling far to lazy to put in any really effort.

Quill chuckles at this then get's up and tells us all to come with him. We follow him to his room where there is a roaring fire. It's fake but it still gives out heat and it looks great.

"Merry Christmas," he says to us, as we do to him.

We then join hands and stand round the fire singing Christmas carols.

Super-mushy I know, but then hey, it's Christmas and right now I don't know which is warmer, the fire or the glow I'm feeling inside. Yeah, I know that's even more mushy...


End file.
